How much snow?

[Tuckerman]

How much snow is needed to cause a burial? I mean 5 inches on a 50 degree 500’ long slope or what? Is it safe to go if there is not the danger but not the snow?

[Conundrum]

Depends on terrain. You could caught in a gully where snow piles up. A three inch slab could send you into a tree or rock... If there's danger, why risk it?

[yesIsaidyes]

its always less than you think but like conundrum said, it really can depend on what the terrain would dish out in terms of consequences of a slide. Don't forget its not just about how much snow is on top of you but where it can push you (off a cliff, into a tree well, creek bed, etc.). But 4-6 inches of snow can create a nasty slab in itself or can trigger sympathetic slides in deeper terrain. I remember one slab in our avy class that went from a 4" crown face (depth) to something like 4 FEET later on down the face...:eek: So it can be about alot more than just the snow...