Avalanche: Potters

Observer Name
Brett Kobernik
Observation Date
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Avalanche Date
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Region
Skyline » Joes Valley » Potters
Location Name or Route
Upper Potters Canyon
Elevation
10,600'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
Density Change
Comments

This natural avalanche released during a bump in wind speeds late Tuesday. With no signigicant weak layers in the snowpack, this avalanche was purely related to wind overloading a lee slope. That is, wind took powder snow from the west facing slopes and rapidly deposited it on the east facing slopes so fast that the slope released and avalanched. A chunk of cornice falling onto the slope was the most likely trigger.

Coordinates