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by wickedwillie on July 27th, 2004

wickedwillie

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What factors cause a snow slope to be avalanche prone?

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  • by kanjalid on February 18th, 2005

    kanjalid

    It is impossible to name all of the factors, but a few major ones are listed below:

    Temperature - If the temperature of the snow near the ground (which stays near 32° F / 0° C) differs significantly from temperatures higher in the snow pack, then as some of the snow naturally turns to vapor and refreezes, the distribution grows uneven. The snow near the ground can turn to Depth Hoar--tiny, highly unstable balls of ice commonly known as Sugar Snow. Depth hoar has so little cohesion that it acts as ball bearings below anything that happens to break loose above it.

    The current air temperature at the time the snow fell also impacts snow pack stability. When the snow slides, it doesn't always touch the ground.

    Landscaping - Just a single bush or two can provide anchor points to hold the snow pack in place. Later in the year, these anchors are buried and new snow has a smoother surface to ride on if it fails to adhere to previous snowfall. Fractures often occur right over such features, or just above.

    Slope - 95% of slides occur on slopes between 30% and 40%. Steeper slopes tend to slough off sooner and not build up to serious avalanche potential--but use good judgment. Cornices and other features often break free with many tons of force. When avalanche conditions are dangerous, stick to safer slopes - less than 30% and not located below steeper danger areas.




    http://utahsearchandrescue.com/avalanche.htm

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