A dense wind slab sitting over a layer of small grained facets allowed the flanks of this slide to propagate outwards lower in the path. The primary weak layer for this avalanche was weak facets around a rock outcroppings near the top of the slope. The thin layer of facets in this photo required the heavy load of avalanche debris to break and is not a major concern by itself. Photo: GNFAC
Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Sat Jan 29, 2011