Observation Date: 03/27/2014

Route/Location:
Standard approach to Ski Bowls SE and NE via SE open bowl.

Weather:
Snowing hard occasionally, wind from west at ridge tops was eddying into an upslope easterly down in the bowl to ~20 mph. Very little sun but occasional warming due to thin cloud coverage between shower cells.

Wind:

New Snow: 3-6″

Avalanche Activity:
Fracturing 3-4″ wind slabs was easy on final approach to skier summit and while working the steeps at the top. Both main aspects were sluffing or fracturing and propagating and with small natural or remote trigger running soft without stepping down.
NE rollover at 7,800′ steep enough again around 35 degrees for skier intentional initiated propagating slide to 3-4 inches but not before skier was on the slope due to slowness of rollover. Skier bypassed fracturing snow to safety below. Avalanche ran a couple hundred feet soft with no step down. Soft stiff powder base bed surface.

Other Comments:
With additional loading and wind slabbing this layer could become more dangerous. However with regular warming and little additional load bonding will improve in this 3-5 inch layer. Dust on a soft crust base to the north. Firmer crust on the SE aspects. Very little new snow below 7,000′ at a Gash Creek. Well filled in approach.

Observer: John Lehrman