After our morning pre-tour meeting, we decided to move toward Grizzly Gulch. After setting out we took the ridge between the Gulch and the Microwave. Making observations along the way, we stopped to stomp on some of the new snow on the North East side of the ridge in an effort to initiate cracking or slugs. As a member of the party began to initiate a stomp, a wind slab on the West slope behind him broke and ran off the rock band about 50 feet below the slab.

We took the time to examine the weak layer of facets that the slab ran on. Grains were very small and the slide was localized but it was still deep enough that it could have pulled a rider off the edge.

Avalanche Problem #1: Storm Slab

Trend: Increasing in the morning but decreasing later in the day

Avalanche Problem #2: New Snow

Trend: Increasing in the morning but decreasing later in the day