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Skier triggered storm slab avalanche on Andesite Peak.

Location Name: Andesite Peak Region: Donner Summit Area Observation Date & Time: Thursday, November 29, 2018 - 10:15
Location: 39.349842, -120.364601 See map: CalTopo	Is this an Avalanche Observation?: Yes Conditions Alerts: Recent Loading Terrain Alerts: Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees Trigger Points Terrain Matches the Advisory

Observation made by: Forecaster

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Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions:

We saw crown of this avalanche that was triggered by a skier in another party ahead of us. Unclear from the tracks if it was intentional or unintentional. Difficult to tell if the snowpack failed at the old/new interface from yesterday's new snow or a few cm up into today's new snow. A ski cut on slightly lower angle terrain immediately to climber's right of the avalanche produced no additional results.

Avalanche Details

Avalanche Type:

Storm Slab

Failure Plane/Weak Layer:

Storm Snow

Trigger

Trigger:

Skier

Terrain

Start Zone Slope Angle:

40degrees

Aspect:

Northeast

Starting Elevation:

near-treeline

Size

Destructive Size:

D1 Relatively harmless to people.

Relative Size:

R2 Small

Crown Height:

Less than 1 ft

Avalanche Width (Average width):

30ft.

Avalanche Length (Vertical Run):

20ft.

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Skier triggered storm slab avalanche on Andesite Peak.

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Skier triggered storm slab avalanche on Andesite Peak.

Conditions Alerts:

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