Any ideas for modeling an avalanche?


I'm working on installing my snowshed, and since I'm modeling spring, I'm planning to have a small avalanche on top of it - a chunky, kind of dirty one just like in the image attached. Any ideas?
 

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I thought about how I might attempt an avalanche scene, if I were to try it.
The vision I have for an initial experiment, making a small practice scene, would go like this:
- I'd form a slope using plaster-cloth over top of a sort cardboard tube, the tube simulating the shed. Crumpled paper could be used as filler under the plaster-cloth to form the slope.
- The plaster cloth would be covered with Dap Stucco-Patch, which can be purchased in small buckets at the hardware. If you let the stucco-patch dry out a-bit before application, it won't run so bad and can be formed with tools or your finger.
- While the stucco-patch was still wet on the slope, I'd throw in suitable crushed gravel, like a real stucco guy throws stucco onto a wall.
- Then I'd paint it all when dried. Not white, though; an off white.

I figure I could do a feasibility run of the above on about a 4" square, just to see if it looks good. - But, I never have tried it; it's just an idea.
 
I think I'd mix up some plaster-of-Paris, let it dry and then break it up into small pieces. Either use some plaster cloth for a base, then cover it with a layer of plaster. While the surface layer is dry, drop the broken pieces on top.
 
Maybe layered ground (broken into little balls) up styrofoam and plaster. Glue (spray adhesive) ground up styrofoam to the base, let dry. Mist with water, then sift plaster gradually while adding more styrofoam and plaster to get desired affect. Paint. While layering add debris (trees, branches, etc).
 
1. Chose a suitable and realistic place on your layout where an avalanche of a certain kind would run across the tracks;

2. Tear off some plastic wrap, the Saran kind, and lay it in place. Inside the margins of the Saran Wrap, so that you can grasp the uncovered edges later, either fashion a form with cardboard, like you would to pour a basement. The idea is to contain what you're going to put there next;

3. Use sculptamold, or some terrain goop, to create a base shell that will conform to the contours under the Saran Wrap, and also to the rails (this last bit is important because the rails will act as retainers due to their running inside slots created during the sculptamold/good pour);

4. With the pour hardened, now pour over some talus, chunks of grit, or whatever, some light filtered sand, in successive layers. Add some slightly diluted Mod Podge Matte (NOT GLOSS) medium from Wally's craft section. The idea is to make a solid block to the extent possible, but certainly to bond the top pours to the goop put down first. When that cures, you have your avalance;

5. For winter avalanches, with more snow that anything, just liberally cover the same 'avalanche' with W/S 'snow.
 



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