March 24, 2017

     AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

     A snowboarder has died in an avalanche in Japan--Story in article section.                     Net Pic

    Traverse below hike to Husume, Sa-HST on temp crust loaded up to 70 cms. Jerome David Pic

                                                                                                                                  Jerome David Pic

    On WB yesterday avalanche control produced numerous Sz 1-2 soft slabs 10-100 cm. Xe Xc Sc.


YESTERDAY:

    Snowing in the morning, Thursday March 23, 2017.

    Visibility was challenging at times.

    Yesterday morning.

    We had a few sucker holes.

    Hitting it on Dakine.

    Not a terrible crowd lined up for Spanky's opening.

    Not the place to feel intimidated!!

    Drawing moisture from the tropics.

    Ouch!!

    Above the Bite.


Weather Observations for March 24, 2017: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -4, Winds were 30-45 KPH SE--Horstman Hut 
2180 meters      -5, Winds were 30-45 KPH S--Whistler Peak
1860 meters      -4, Winds were 25-40 KPH SE--Rendevous
1835 meters      -3, Winds were 15-30 KPH ESE--Roundhouse
1650 meters      -3, 10 cm of new snow, 14 in 24 hrs, 330 cm Base, RH 93%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters      -3,   9 cm of new snow, 12 in 24 hrs, 242 cm Base, RH 96 %  --Catskinner 

  660 meters       0, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +6.1, 0.7 mm of Precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have broken cloud and unlimited visibility.

FORECAST:

A slow moving upper trough will bring unsettled weather this morning, with overcast skies and light/moderate precipitation to our zone this afternoon in a Southwest flow aloft. The FL will hover in the 1400 meter zone dropping to 1000 meters by tonight. The upper trough will dry out Saturday with some unsettled weather in the afternoon as a very weak high pressure moves into the area. The FL will fluctuate from 1200-600 meters. Sunday at this time is unsettled in the morning, with a very weak cold front for the afternoon. A warm front is expected for Monday. Guesstimates: 15-20 cm by Saturday morning, 4-6 cm by Sunday morning, 4-8 cm by Monday morning.

    GOES IR image from this am.

    An upper trough in a strong Southwest flow aloft.

    More snow for today.

    Unsettled Saturday with some snow flurries.

      Southwest flow with some moderate winds for today.


OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:
  

Toby Salin March 23 at 6:33pm
Some sporting access to Blackcomb slackcountry today. I ski cut solid sz 2 off Dont Swill that propagated wall 2 wall and ran a few hundred meters down spearehead glacier. no skier involvement. Also observed a pocket above Husume bootpack pull out from traversing skier. prob only sz 1 and only ran 50m or so but def worth noting as crown was 1/2 meter. Husume proper was wind loaded with @ 30-40cms+/- with typical surface sluffing for that slope. Pretty much still heads up hockey out there!

                                                                                                                                     Toby Salin Image

                                                                                                                                     Toby Salin Image

    Images from March 23, 2017.                                                                             Jerome David Pics

    Don't swill yesterday, First guys Sc size 2 on left side, second group Sc size 1 right side all merged     and ran a long way

    There were some awesome turns to be had!!

    Cornice Art.

   Yes some signs should be read!!



VIDEO FRIDAY:

Backcountry skiers set off an avalanche that buries a 4 year old: Corona Bowl

Avalanche set off for Research: Switzerland

Scary Pillow Line: Whistler Backcountry

Wet Avalanches are coming soon: Avalanche Guys

Road avalanche: Turkey



ARTICLES:

Snowboarder killed in an avalanche in Gunma Prefecture: Japan

Mistakes happen in the Backcountry: The Human Factor

Deep Snow, Avalanches--Late reopening for North Cascades Highway: Washington State

Mother Nature in Dangerous Mood: Rocky Mtn. Outlook

Snow cover in the alps is declining: World Economic Forum