Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Occurrence

View Associated Field Report

General Information

Crown profile of a skier-triggered a slide that failed on a layer of buried surface hoar.

Observer:
SAC Forecaster

Verified by SAC?
Yes

Occurrence Date:
Jan 29, 2023 3:01 pm (Exact)

Location:
"Timber Bowl" near Titus Ridge

Comments:

A skier unintentionally triggered a small slide in a 35-45 degree chute. After their second turn, they initiated the slide and were able to self-arrest into the bed surface as the debris continued down the slope. The crown varied in thickness from 1-2 feet and failed on a layer of buried surface hoar. This feature may have been previously cross-loaded, based on signs of older wind effect on the ridge and a varying crown thickness.

Avalanche Characteristics

# of Avys:
1
Aspect:
NW
Start Zone Elev:
9100ft
Size:
D1
Type:
SS-Soft Slab
Trigger:
AS-Skier
u-Unintentional
Bed Surface:
O-Old Snow
Depth:
1ft (max: 1.5ft)
Width:
50ft
Start Zone Slope:
39°
Weak Layer:
Jan 5, 2023 (SH)
Comments:

The layer of buried surface hoar was 4-6mm in size. Height of snow along the crown was 100-170cm.

Media

Crown profile of a skier-triggered a slide that failed on a layer of buried surface hoar.
This 1-2 foot thick, skier-triggered avalanche failed on a layer of buried surface hoar. Surface hoar is frequently found in shady, partially treed locations like this. N-NE aspect near 9100' in the Salmon River drainage near Galena Summit.
The viewpoint looking down at the crown of a skier-triggered slide near Titus Ridge.