I believe this was a sled triggerd slide that may have occurred around the same time as the Double Hill Avalanche on 12/26. This slope has surprised many folks and is triggered quite often. At the top of the slope is a nice wind fetch that southwest winds get channled through and drift the snow onto this northeast facing slope.
1. These large broad open areas are great places for the strong south winds to grab lots of snow and deposit it onto the leeward side where people like to ride. 2. There is usually no shortage of wind along the high terrain and much of the high peaks are scoured clean-kind of has that high Colorado look to it.
The snow pack here is so much different than the core area near Whitney, Upper Weber Canyon and the Bald Mt. area. In this snow pit the weak sugary snow at the bottom of the pack is large grained faceted snow that just falls out of the pit.
