An avalanche that releases on an adjacent slope away from the location from which it was triggered.
A remotely triggered avalanche occurs when a crack is initiated and propagates into adjacent terrain before causing a slab to release. Remote triggers are scary because you don’t need to be on a steep slope to cause an avalanche. Under certain conditions, you can initiate an avalanche while traveling on a flat slope below, above, or adjacent to an avalanche path. Managing overhead hazards is essential when there is remote triggering potential.
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Snowmobilers remotely triggered these avalanches while riding in the flat terrain below the slope. Credit: Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center
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The skiers (circled in white) remotely triggered these avalanches from above the slope. Credit: Crested Butte Avalanche Center