Loose Snow Avalanches

Loose snow avalanches are characterized by snow crystals that exhibit little cohesion with one another. These slides typically start off small, with only a few crystals moving, and gain mass as the falling crystals 'bump' into the crystals below, and dislodge them. As conditions permit, this process continues and the avalanche gains velocity and mass as it travels downslope. To relate this concept to our everyday world, consider a set of bowling pins falling. As the first one falls, it collides with the two pins behind it, which topple the next row, etc. Essentially, this is the same process in action when a loose snow avalanche occurs. Similar to the bowling pins formation, these types of slides often form elongate, triangular formations. These avalanches are often referred to as 'point releases,' or 'sluffs,' and are typically found on high-angle slopes.

A ski-mountaineer safely avoids the point-releases on the steep, adjacent slope by choosing a route along the valley floor. skier: Luke Smith location: Rainbow Ridge, Alaska Range	A heli-skier manages his sluff by moving onto the higher terrain feature to allow the snow to safely pass by him. skier: Dan Starr location: Heiden Glacier, Chugach Mountains

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