1/27/2024 Field Report - Steamboat & Flat Tops

3 skiiers on Meaden Peak. Snowpit analysis on ski slope below ridge was CT17, ECT-X, around 145cm deep to ground. No whumphing or collapsing on ascent or any other signs of instability. First descent was down treeline by skintrek on SE slope and then back into East facing bowl zone. Stayed mostly in low angle terrain until entering bowl on east face. No concerns noted by all three of us on first run. Second run similar in top section from summit. When approaching lower section on edge of bowl basin we stopped to asses looking back into bowl on east edge. One skier bumped forward onto a steeper convexity rollover on edge of the bowl. After a moment we all felt a slow collapsing and skiier on convexity was taken with the slide. Slide slid off the ground and skiier traveled around 50 yards or so, but stayed on surface as the slide went in front of him down through the gulley. Skiier was ok with just some back and side soreness from hitting rocks on the ground. Skiiers all skied out together. Upon observation of the slide, our trigger on the rollover propagated around the whole bowl and created a large avalanche at least a few hundred yards wide. The slide was on the ground facets and crown anywhere from 50cm deep to likely around 100cm deep. Upon discussion afterwards, all three of us were very surprised at the magnitude of propagation with no signs of instability noted all morning and also in our snowpit analysis. We knew there had been instability around in the past weeks and had a conservative mindset for the day. That being said, we got comfortable on our first run and edged onto the steeper snow angle convexity on the edge of the bowl that resulted in a near-miss event.

East aspect of Meaden Peak