September 22, 2013

Presently snowing at the Roundhouse, 1835 m, 07:30 am September 22, 2013; Temperature -.5

Updated image from September 23, 2013, as of 10:30 am temperature was -.5.

Snow on the higher peaks Saturday morning September 21, 2013. Last day of summer!!

After the front passes we will receive bands of showers until Wednesday. With cooler temperatures.


At 1860 meters the temperature was -1, winds were 20-40 KPH from the S.  At 2180 meters the temperature was -1.3, no other data available at that elevation. At 1550 meters the temperature was +3, the precip gauge recorded 5.2 mm over night. . In the valley the temperature was +8. Observations taken at 08:00 hrs this am September 22, 2013. The precipitation gauge at Nesters recorded 6.1 mm of rain on September 21, 2013.



The official fall equinox is September 22, 2013 at 4:44 EDT.

The Autumnal Equinox

The word equinox comes from the Latin words for "equal night." The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

From here on out, the temperatures begin to drop and the days start to get shorter than the nights (i.e., hours of daylight decline).

The forecast is for more rain showers and cooler temperatures after the cold front passes our region. May be a few breaks later today into this evening.  Freezing levels could drop to 1600 meters tonight and rise to 1800 meters for Monday night. A short wave ridge will build for Wednesday into Thursday bringing mostly sunny weather before the next low moves into our area on Friday bringing unsettled weather up to the beginning of October.

BRP supporting avalanche courses for sledder's: Bombardier Recreational Products

Snowboarder releases a very large cornice: You Tube

Have posted this in the past, have never been able to determine location: Nasty ride above lift line

Avalanche in the Serre Chevalier Valle region: Marotte, France

One of many articles out there on airbags: Tour company article

Extreme Skier Avalanche Escape: Julian Lopez

After a relatively clear night on September 19, the clouds moved back in on the 20th.

To view animation of approaching fronts click here: NOAA GFS

Satellite image from this am September 22, 2013.



Here is an article submitted by Aimee Claire:

Feel the adrenaline whilst skiing

Skiing can be a dangerous sport, and perhaps because of this it can offer some of the most adrenaline-fuelled holidays around. Many of the best slopes also offer some of the most luxurious accommodation, combining heady exhilaration with indulgent relaxation.

Some of the best ski resorts

Girdwood in Alaska is a former gold-mining town that was carved out of the forest situated at the foot of the Chugach Mountains. Lying about 40 miles south from Anchorage, Girdwood is solely devoted to skiing and snowboarding. The Alyeska Resort is the largest in Alaska, and has six lifts, two magic carpets and a tram with a 60-person capacity. With a low tree line, the upper half of the mountain seems more like an Alpine range, but there are plenty of runs more suited to beginners. The area has a luxury hotel, the Hotel Alyeska, which provides good food and wake up calls so that guests can see the aurora borealis (northern lights).

Zermatt is the crown jewel of Switzerland’s many skiing resorts. Dominated by the magnificent Matterhorn, Zermatt has three interconnected skiing zones on the Swiss side, as well as two just across the border in Italy. Zermatt has vertical drops of over 7,000 feet on varying terrain, such as endless cruisers and north-facing powder runs. There are more than 50 restaurants actually on the mountain slopes, and a lunch at any one of these is a must. The best place to stay is the five-star Mont Cervin Palace hotel.

For adrenaline freaks, Chamonix in France has some of the world’s best steep skiing and snowboarding. An abundance of lifts makes the whole range easily accessible, and one ticket grants access to all of the eleven ski zones that are scattered across the valley. Here, vertical drops of more than 9,000 feet are possible if the snow is good. There is one five star hotel in Chamonix - the Le Hameau Albert - and gourmet dining is to be found at Le Cap Horn. Chamonix is not just for skiing either, as the town has plenty of other attractions.

Slope safety

Avalanches aside, there is good equipment for skiing safely that must be bought, such as a ski helmet. It is also essential that skiers keep warm on the slopes, and this is best achieved by wearing layers of specially designed ski clothing.

The danger of avalanche

Going off-piste - venturing away from prepared runs without a guide - may not be too problematic in stable snow conditions, but skiing in a crevassed glacial terrain without a guide may lead the skier into dangerous territory.

If a skier can see an avalanche coming, the best thing is to try to get out of its path. Easier said than done, and if this is not possible the best thing is to ditch all equipment, skis, poles and bags. If buried beneath the snow, make swimming motions toward the surface, but do not expend too much energy at an early stage. Save it for when the snow slide slows down. Best of all, invest in an avalanche transceiver. When it is put in Search Mode, it will transmit a signal that will help rescuers to pinpoint its location.


Have a comment for ditching your pack sack, this was taught many years ago, but lately the thinking is to keep your pack on giving protection to your back and allowing for a potentially larger air space if you are buried. Anyone I have talked to that has been in an avalanche, says there is very little time to get rid of any gear.  However if you were caught in a size 2 avalanche where there were no trees, rocks, cliffs it may be easier to swim without a pack on. Situational awareness is still one of the better skills to have in these situations.