26 Feb 2012

Dean's Adieu caught 2 ski tourers last Saturday. They recovered their gear but this picture is very similar to the one in Volume 4 of Avalanche Accidents in Canada.  Stay away from the rocks just above the normal traverse!!  This slope has taken a life. Thanks to Charles Ratzlaff for this photo.




Hi Wayne,

I've been reading your blog religiously this winter, great resource. Thought as I saw my first wild avalanche today and it was at your place of work that you might be interested in hearing about it.

Occured on Blackcomb Glacier at about 1:30pm, triggered from the ridgeline above the Glacier bootpack on the extreme lookers left above where the windlip forms. Two guys had bootpacked straight up the extreme lookers right of the slope, traversed along the top of the ridge and dropped. First rider made one turn and a slab pulled out which seemed to be composed mostly of the new storm snow, no more than 15cm deep. Skier attempted to ride out of the slide but was overtaken and ended up in the toe of the debris field buried about waist deep. He was able to self extricate uninjured but down a ski. His partner skied down the path and checked him over, both of them shaken up but otherwise OK. Slide and debris ran literally a metre past my feet as I was standing next to the bootpack buckling in. My friend and I had just discussed how we were going to stay inside the gates as the snow seemed really touchy.

Hope this is of interest to you and relevant. Thanks for the work you're doing with the blog.

Ryan Gardiner


At 2280 meters the temperature was -16 as of 06:00. Winds were 40-50KPH from the NE. At 1550 meters the temperature was - 11, 81 % humidity and the barometer is rising slowly. 14 cm of new snow fell there last night and 11 cm was recorded at pig alley. In the valley it is -4. The forecast is very favourable for playing today, but with all the new snow size 1-2.5 soft slabs can be expected. This morning heli bombing is producing size 1-2 avalanches in the new snow. With the north winds expect reverse loading.

For the latest Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

For a quick clip from an avalanche set off at Red Pass in Colorado ( language warning) click here: Avalanche



Toby Tortorelli Photo: Skier getting caught in the Brandywine area, lost a ski after hitting trees on February 21 st.