Avalanche: Valhalla Face

Observer Name
Bullwinkle and Honk Moose
Observation Date
Monday, February 8, 2016
Avalanche Date
Monday, February 8, 2016
Region
Logan » Logan River » Valhalla Face
Location Name or Route
Valhalla Face, off Beirdneau Ridge
Elevation
7,500'
Aspect
South
Slope Angle
Unknown
Trigger
Natural
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Wet Loose
Avalanche Problem
Wet Snow
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Depth
Unknown
Width
40'
Vertical
300'
Comments

Two in a foraging party on the Valhalla Face in midday. The pair practiced wise travel protocols and stayed stayed well spaced apart since they were obviously in avalanche terrain. They triggered a few pastry-like roller-balls and noticed some recent natural wet activity on a similar adjacent slope, and they were just starting to reevaluate their route when Honk started a large snowball rolling while pawing for fresh grass shoots around a sage. The snowball rolled down slope and initiated a wet avalanche, which did not catch or even scare either one.

I noticed this new wet avalanche this afternoon. It wasn't there when I came up canyon, but occurred within about a half hour. I took some photos of the fresh slide from a distance and didn't notice that I had captured the Moose in the shot until I enlarged it later. (Weed 2-8-2016)

Coordinates