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This is the Valentines Day slide from Mt Baker, 98-99 season. Takes a second to see it at first, but look at the crown at the top of the picture. I figure no serious avalanche awareness thread should start with anything less.
Post your slide stories, photo's, what have you, and learn up. The best awareness may indeed be freaky shit to properly seat the seriousness of this danger, especially with spring coming to the northern hemisphere and recent crazy activity around the PNW.
Here are some more photos from some recent slides at Mt. Baker. Bombs were dropped from helicopters to release these very large slabs. (Note these are all popular backcountry zones just outside the ski area. Only takes the duck of a rope to access them.)
This was measured at 12-15 feet deep:
Slide coming down above The Beast on the Shuksan arm
Here are some more photos from some recent slides at Mt. Baker. Bombs were dropped from helicopters to release these very large slabs. (Note these are all popular backcountry zones just outside the ski area. Only takes the duck of a rope to access them.)
This was measured at 12-15 feet deep:
Slide coming down above The Beast on the Shuksan arm
That's one of the things that's scares me the most. Some of the largest and most destructive avalanches are that much more likely to catch you completely unawares. The probablity of triggering a deeper stability be low and you may not see any of the obvious surface signs of instabilty that would warn you off a slope but holy fuck if it goes, you are in some shit.
Yes, that's at Holiday Valley. I'm pretty sure that isn't manmade snow. They get a TON of snow off of the lake. That and wind can do some crazy stuff.
Not a massive slide like most of the ones being posted, but this happened up in the Wasatch yesterday.
Third member of the party to descent the slope and it broke out at 2' deep. 40° slope pitch, North facing, and had just been loaded with ~2.5" water weight two days before. Carried and buried 3 ft under. Skier was quickly rescued, but was no breathing. Began breathing on his own once the snow was cleared from this throat. Open tib-fib. Had to be carried down to an appropriate landing zone to be picked up by life flight. The heli landed at Alta first to grab some patrollers to help with the rescue.
tBattNot a massive slide like most of the ones being posted, but this happened up in the Wasatch yesterday.
Third member of the party to descent the slope and it broke out at 2' deep. 40° slope pitch, North facing, and had just been loaded with ~2.5" water weight two days before. Carried and buried 3 ft under. Skier was quickly rescued, but was no breathing. Began breathing on his own once the snow was cleared from this throat. Open tib-fib. Had to be carried down to an appropriate landing zone to be picked up by life flight. The heli landed at Alta first to grab some patrollers to help with the rescue.
Pretty risky to be skiing that type of terrain with the snowpack the way it is
This thread is great for pictures, but if we're talking about incidents, post-analysis and etc, I think the avalanche awareness thread is the spot for it.
J.D.This thread is great for pictures, but if we're talking about incidents, post-analysis and etc, I think the avalanche awareness thread is the spot for it.
True. I just figured it's nice to have a little bit of background on the slide if anyone was interested.
This was at Crystal, WA after they opened up Northway and it was a mad powder dash which funneled everyone on basically a traverse trail! Lots of snow quick = danger! A gril was buried (no transceiver) for about 10 minutes with an air pocket and hand popping up next to a tree. Very scary situation as there was about 50+ people there so it made for chaos! -jm
Line_SkisThis was at Crystal, WA after they opened up Northway and it was a mad powder dash which funneled everyone on basically a traverse trail! Lots of snow quick = danger! A gril was buried (no transceiver) for about 10 minutes with an air pocket and hand popping up next to a tree. Very scary situation as there was about 50+ people there so it made for chaos! -jm
Dang. Prime example to support those who say that resorts need to be more catious and make sure the snow/ terrain is safe before they open it. The fact that it was on the traverse, wow.
B.QuincyDang. Prime example to support those who say that resorts need to be more catious and make sure the snow/ terrain is safe before they open it. The fact that it was on the traverse, wow.
You can't prevent every slide inbounds. The one above was weird for a variety of factors, I don't see what the mountain could have really done to prevent it, other than closing massive areas of the mountain.
Ski Patrolled triggered Whistler Bowl a few weeks ago I was a little surprised they opened it with the hangfire still there the first time I went up the lift and saw people skiing it that patrol opened it.
To the right of this photo is Blackcomb peak to the left is disease ridge. To my knowledge they don't bomb here. If you look into the centre of the pic you can see a run out and in the shade there's about a 1M crown which I believe was natural on one of my favourite lines in Whistler called Aids
RudyGarmischYou can't prevent every slide inbounds. The one above was weird for a variety of factors, I don't see what the mountain could have really done to prevent it, other than closing massive areas of the mountain.
True but, i feel like they might have rushed to open the terrian without really testing different areas and their snowpack. But i see your point in how there isnt much they could do.
CraigskisTo the right of this photo is Blackcomb peak to the left is disease ridge. To my knowledge they don't bomb here. If you look into the centre of the pic you can see a run out and in the shade there's about a 1M crown which I believe was natural on one of my favourite lines in Whistler called Aids
They for sure used to bomb in the bowl there. That whole area would be tourist death waiting to happen if they didn't. I don't know how they deal with Disease Ridge specifically but it's still inbounds, so I'm sure they do something.
Question whether DOA chute just the other side of the ridge gets anything thrown at it as it's beyond the boundary, but I wouldn't be surprised.
I had to confer with a skipatrol buddy. He said the bottom apron of DOA does get bombed, but the couloir doesn't due to area boundary. He also said the line which I referred to as Aids doesn't get bombed so that was a natural trigger.
Another photo which I didn't get to post because I deleted my memory card thinking I'd transferred it on to my hard drive which didn't end up getting posted.
Anyway, again this was about 3 weeks ago. If you can picture Where the Sudan couloir drains down into Jersey cream bowl. Glacier chair was closed so people were traversing hard across Jersey cream bowl to access the bottom pitch of Glacier chair. My buddy and I were throwing on are skins with the plans of skinning up hirer to access Purple haze chute. A patroller stopped us right before we were about to start our accent and closed the traverse. The very next ride up the chairlift it was viewable that a natural .5 slough slide had occurred. Hikers access had been closed off that day to 7th and the choices were limited we ended up playing in super miniputt lower aspect of Everglades getting decent powder every run which was a traverse and not a climb.
CraigskisI had to confer with a skipatrol buddy. He said the bottom apron of DOA does get bombed, but the couloir doesn't due to area boundary. He also said the line which I referred to as Aids doesn't get bombed so that was a natural trigger.
Another photo which I didn't get to post because I deleted my memory card thinking I'd transferred it on to my hard drive which didn't end up getting posted.
Anyway, again this was about 3 weeks ago. If you can picture Where the Sudan couloir drains down into Jersey cream bowl. Glacier chair was closed so people were traversing hard across Jersey cream bowl to access the bottom pitch of Glacier chair. My buddy and I were throwing on are skins with the plans of skinning up hirer to access Purple haze chute. A patroller stopped us right before we were about to start our accent and closed the traverse. The very next ride up the chairlift it was viewable that a natural .5 slough slide had occurred. Hikers access had been closed off that day to 7th and the choices were limited we ended up playing in super miniputt lower aspect of Everglades getting decent powder every run which was a traverse and not a climb.
So basically they bomb anything within a tourists range of stupidity/ ignorance?
Ironically was looking for this photo on google images and it directed me to this thread.
There was a much smaller avalanche there today. It's nuts but really interesting at the same time. Since I got home, I've read a handful of stories about avalanches here. Apparently it's not uncommon! I grew up here and aside from this big one in 2007, I've never heard too much of this happening.
MinggIronically was looking for this photo on google images and it directed me to this thread.
There was a much smaller avalanche there today. It's nuts but really interesting at the same time. Since I got home, I've read a handful of stories about avalanches here. Apparently it's not uncommon! I grew up here and aside from this big one in 2007, I've never heard too much of this happening.
Possibly. In this particular photo, I believe it was 2007 which was the year we got hit with a ton of snow. But holiday blows snow every chance they get so I wouldn't be surprised if they were doing so simultaneously.
The one yesterday slid right below where a snowgun was. Above the wall, there was newish man made snow so I can only guess they were making snow on the wall too but I'm not sure. We also got some natural snow the day before and overnight.
The lift goes right above and when I looked down there was a rather large crack in the snow. It looked pretty crusty/icy which leads me to think it was man made but I've never seen what an avalanche looks like before so maybe it was normal. I really don't know. It's interesting as fuck though. I would like to learn more about them.
Not sure if the photo will post from my phone but I'll try.
