19 Feb 2012



Yesterday an Avalanche on the Blackomb Rescue Road caused by riders using permanently closed terrain required a search of the debris.

If you follow the road down from the top of the rescue road, after the first corner there are several slopes that come down onto the road. Yesterday it appears that several people skied into the upper slope into this avalanche path causing a size 2 slide to go over the road.  It happened after the control teams had finished opening Spanky's Ladder and Blackcomb Glacier. Luckily a patrol team came across it just as the area was being opened. They initiated a search of the debris and  no one was buried. It required that Show Case T Bar be closed for a while and if it had been bigger would have closed Spanky's Ladder as well. People who disregard the permanent closures are not only jeopardising themselves but other skiers\riders as well. They can also cause delays in opening terrain if man power resources have to be used to deal with the situation.  Permanent closures are there for a reason, hopefully Karma will catch up to  these sign line violators and they will loose their riding privileges eliminating them from the issue.

On another note there was an involvement yesterday on Deans Adieu where a group lost some equipment in a size 2 slide.
Deans Adieu is just above the normal skin track up to Spearhead Peak.

At 2280 meters the temperature was -12, the wind was 20-30 KPH from the South as of 06:45. At 1550 meters the temperature was -7.5, 94 % relative humidity, and the barometer was steady. A trace of new snow was reported at that elevation. In the valley it is 0. 


For the latest Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory



Thanks to Devin Steif for this photo, last week solar aspects were producing loose snow avalanches. One feature that is always active during warm temperatures is the moraine at the bottom of the picture. That particular moraine is a producer and always use caution if you find yourself in  this zone.


Hot off the press, here is a size 2 out of MC Bowl from yesterday. Trying to get more information!!