Slab avalanche

Slab avalanches are also known as flow avalanches. They form when large layers of snowpack slide together.
This slab of snow consists mostly of snowdrift and represents a great danger for mountaineers and snow sports enthusiasts.
The masses of snow that are moving into the valley are relentless and level everything that gets in their way.
They are more cruel than loose snow avalanches due to their high snow density and the extent of their destruction.
Their victims, who are buried under such an avalanche, usually do not die from suffocation but from hitting rocks.
A slab avalanche can be triggered by the slightest load:

• Natural increase in load such as heavy snowfall
• Heat-induced loss of strength in the snowpack itself
• The weight of a skier