Sailed back from the Island last night, looking forward to a spring like day on the hill today.
At 2280 meters the temperature was +2 and winds were 5-15 KPH from the W. At 1650 meters the temperature was +2, no new snow overnight. In the valley it is -9. Observations taken at 06:00.
For the forecast there is not a lot of change except for the temperatures going higher in the alpine than they were yesterday. The ridge is still dominating the coast. The stratus cloud has thinned and should disperse as the morning progresses. The ridge weakens slightly near the end of the week allowing some clouds into the region.
From -3 yesterday morning to +2.5 by 20:45 January 14, 2013 at 2280 meters.
Warmer today, watch out for all those big cornices and loose wet avalanches may occur.
For the updated local avalanche advisory: Whistler Mountain Snow Safety
Thanks to Graeme Howland, Flying Snowmobiles new backcountry hazard: Flying Snowmobile
Results of Artillery Control Work, Seward Highway: Alaska
Thanks Daniel for the link.
Raising Avalanche Awareness: Banff Centre, January 20, 2013
Video coverage of Utah Avalanche: Porter Fork UT
Another Avalanche Fatality in Colorado: January 14, 2013
Cougar Alert posted in Whistler: Pique Magazine
Three people rescued from an avalanche in Bulgaria: Bulgarian Mountain Rescue
Global Climate change perhaps??!!: Alaska Melting, California Shivering
Observations from Lee Lau, January 14, 2013:
Skied NE NW pow. Winds light at ridge line 2000m from SW but looked strong at 2800m.
-8 pem valley. +1 at 2000m -2 Duffey lk Road 1220m.
Done early to play it by the book
I spent the weekend guiding in the Overlord Glacier area. We found good quality sking everywhere except ridge top locations, where lots of reverse scouring and loading was evident.
The snow cover over crevasses on the Overlord Glacier is considerably thinner this year than the past few years. Lots of holes in view. At the bottom of the glacier there is an average snow depth of 2m. Above 2050m the pack fattens beyond probe length. There is one new big open slot just below the high point of the Overlord Glacier, below the rock of Overlord Pk, and just under the main Spearhead Traverse line to take note of. Picture is attached.
Although we stuck to conservative ski lines on Fissile Mt some aggressive things where skied by other groups and no avalanches were triggered. We saw only one potentially new cornice related slide off the Overlord Ridge (2400m). It did not break a slab from the slope below. One recent cornice failure off the N aspect moraine at 1750 barley propagated a slab.
Dave Sarkany
DSK Guiding
Observation from Dary Hemmons, January 13, 2013:
We had a interesting result yesterday, skied the low angle S asp slopes behind Oboe Pk, down to perhaps 1700m, to just above a break-over. Could not find evidence of the SH and did not get any notable results with compression test, but did get a RB3 down 52cm on a very thin temp crust in the storm snow.
Dary
Pacific Alpine Institute
Dary
Pacific Alpine Institute
Some more photos from Tofino:
We have an avalanche rating, they have a wave rating!
Similar to the skiers responsibility code!
Not as many or as new, but Tofino has sleds also.
A Steller's Fish Eagle taking flight.
