Avalanche: Douglas Island

Location: EASY BOWL center of Drifter

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

locals uptrack, Eaglecrest cat track to top of east chutes

Avalanche Details
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Trigger SnowboarderAvalanche Type Soft Slab
Aspect West NorthwestElevationunknown
Slope Angle 37degCrown Depth 21in
Width 125ftVertical Run 50ft
Near Miss / Accident Details
Number Caught/Carried? 1Number Partially Buried? 1
Number Fully Buried?0Number Injured?0
Number Fatalities?0  
Avalanche Details

After several short n sweet rippers down ridgelets along drifter and marmot ,carved out and into two of the larger "drifters" set off the whole slab along second one. rode slab , swam in slab, got flipped forward, reached out onto surface with one arm vociferously as debris slowed . Partial Burial. Quite consolidated blocky . Did not run down to terrain trap along lift line. Fought hard to come out on top.

Events of the day

Rapid intensification of wind loading 12:00- 2:30 pm @ time of event. Enticing "little" features on steeper aspects that can be deceptively big and tappered out belying volume of snow that has wind deposited onto already wind abraded surfaces. poor bond .In storm poor descision to ride steeper, larger wind loaded features.

Rescue events

self extrication. Witnesses check-in, hand signals.

Red Flags
Red flags are simple visual clues that are a sign of potential avalanche danger. Please record any sign of red flags below.
Observer Comments

Intensification of wind loading over preceding 2-3 hours, sustained uphill surface winds in bowls, ridgetop wind entrainment of signifigent new snow.

Weather & Snow Characteristics
Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.
Weather

windy, gusty, 28-30 degrees. high wind warning for mainland. outflowing continental

Snow surface

wind affected new snow