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Soft Slab Avalanches, Eagle's Flight Cliffs

Location Name: 
Eagle's Flight Cliffs
Region: 
Mt. Shasta
Date and time of avalanche (best estimate if unknown): 
Fri, 01/20/2017 - 4:30pm
Observation made by: 
Professional Observer
Red Flags:
Recent avalanche activity
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks, or collapsing
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain

Location Map

United States
41° 20' 4.0704" N, 122° 11' 55.266" W
US

Avalanche Observations

Details

Shooting cracks and several size 1 ski triggered avalanches were observed around Eagle's Flight Cliffs, on the boundary of the Mount Shasta Ski Park, skier's right of the ski run Eagle's Flight. Slides started at convexities and were very sensitive to trigger, one occuring 20' away from the trigger. Crowns were 12-16". Soft slabs slid with propagation within the prior 24 hr storm snow at a density break.

The Mount Shasta Ski Park has received 60" of snow from the series of storms starting on 1/17. New snow over the last 24 hours has totaled 25".

Characteristics

Avalanche Type: 
Slab
Trigger type: 
Skier
Slope: 
35degrees
Aspect: 
Southwest
Elevation: 
6 500ft.
Terrain: 
Below Treeline
Weak Layer: 
Storm Snow
Bed Surface: 
Storm Snow
Crown Height: 
1 ft
Number of similar avalanches: 
5

Weather Observations

Statistics

Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Precipitation: 
Snow
Accumulation rate: 
Greater than 1 in. per hour
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Air temperature trend: 
Static