21 Mar 2012

Huge Airtime!!! We are in for some sunny weather soon, looks like Friday will be blue bird.


At 2280 meters the temperature is - 12 as of 06:00. The winds were 40-55 KPH from the South. At 1550 meters the temperature is -9, 85.5 % relative humidity and the barometer is  rising. In the valley it is -2. At pig alley 3 cm was recorded as of 05:30, and at catskiner 1 cm had fallen as of 06:00. Reports of pencil wind slab up to 40 cm on ridges and wind features.

For the updated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

Information about snow amounts at Mt Baker: La Nina delivers in March

Cornice cutting at Castle Peak: No Bombs

Interview with survivor of Haines Avalanche last week: Interview

Highway closed due to an avalanche: Coquihalla Closed

Jumbo Glacier finally gets approval: Jumbo

From Paul Austin: Wayne,

We were out Oboe/Cowboy way on Saturday and the large avalanche shown in the picture on your blog today was there then. 

Paul
Thanks to Nina Van Driel for the information.

The attached pic is rather grainy as taken from an iPhone but from the top of Oboe I saw a crown line lookers right of Cowboy Ridge above a gnarly cliff band - hard to judge the size, and you may have seen better footage already, but it seemed to be a natural as no tracks could be seen leading in, and below it fell away into some steep un-skiable terrain (not shown in this photo) that drains into Singing Creek. Would love to hear if you have any more info on that one - has anyone flown over it? 

We skied the Apostles today, in perfect pow after a lazy late start, and Singing Pass is also in great shape.

These images from Facebook, seems it went viral. Before and after a size 4 slide!!



20 Mar 2012

Mt Fee, untracked, a spectacular Stratovolcano, part of the Garabaldi Volcanic Belt.



At 2280 meters as of 06:00 it was -9, winds were 75-110 KPH from the South. At 1550 meters the temperature was -5, 96 % relative humidity, and the barometer is steady. In the valley it is 0. At pig alley 1650 meters the measured snowfall was 13, at catskiner weather plot 1550 meters 16 cm fell over night. The winds should remain strong for the am and the temperatures should drop also. What a day for the first day of spring 2012. Helicopter work on the Duffy yesterday produced up to size 3 avalanches, at WB a few soft slabs but nothing significant.

For the updated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

Snowboarder cuts slide out which runs into the ski area: Survived

For a clip on a 2 person involvement in New Zeland (bad words spoken) click here: Kiwi's

Avalanche control at  Mammoth Mountain: Hand Charges

Latest word on avalanche in Norway, 5 Fatalities March 19, 2012, click here: Norway



Please read from experienced ski tourer text below relating to this picture!!

With this bit of caution from local papers with the quote: "“If you are going to go out of bounds in these mountains you need to know what you are doing,”  I'd like to use this Sunday's Cowboy Ridge ski as an example.  At the outset, to my knowledge no one got hurt that day and no one triggered an avalanche.

Sunday March 18, 2012 was a busy day.  We counted possibly 15 groups in the Musical Bumps area.  We were among the first groups to ski out past Oboe and to Cowboy Ridge.   We set a good portion of the leftmost blue skin track in the picture which is in dense trees and away from downhill tracks.  We wanted to ski either one of the three middle lines of Cowboy Ridge (the lines are split by bands of trees).  A note on these lines.    They had been skied the day before so there was lots of downhill tracks on them.  There is a convex roll on a good portion of the middle lines so people skiing those lines have no way of knowing if there are other parties on those lines before dropping in.  

It was pretty much perfect skiing conditions.   Over 1m+ of storm snow had fallen.  Winds light, ski pen was about 20 - 30cms.  Temps were minus 8 to 10.  

Our party dropped in the slope where the "e" of Convex Roll starts.  As I crested the roll, I saw about 100m vertical below me two people skinning right up the slope traversing across it (I couldn't see them before I dropped in and immediately stopped).  I told them that my party was dropping in and at the same time radioed my party to stop till this group had cleared out.  I told them they were vulnerable to danger from people like me who couldn't see them and one said that they just followed the skin track.   

These two people cleared the skin track and my group dropped in on the centre of the slope.  I dropped in last and skied skiers right.  To my amazement (and horror) as I was skiing downhill (at a good rate of speed) at about the "l") in the "lemming" part of the wording on the picture there were five people on the skin track also going up the slope.  I avoided them by splitting the group and kept going downhill.   I had no opportunity to see this group and would not have skied that part of the slope if I knew there people on it.    I did not trigger any sluff release or avalanches on any of these people.

My point is that there are so many other safer ways to get to the top of Cowboy Ridge which do not expose people on the uphill to overhead hazard (ie either convexities or skiers going downhill).  For example, the skin track marked "good" on picture left is through dense trees, avoids potential downhill traffic and does not have convexities above the track.  The skin track marked "good" on picture right goes through low angle terrain.   Both the "good" tracks might add perhaps 5 to 10 minutes (at most) to time spent on the uphill over the "WTF" skin track

I've seen some stunning skin tracks in Whistler and the Duffey this year.   I urge people to think for themselves and not to simply follow tracks just because they're already there. I urge people to think about overhead hazard.  You spend the most time on the uphill and are therefore the most exposed on the uphill.  Use your head accordingly

19 Mar 2012



Looking into Garibaldi Park, has everyone filled in the Park Survey.  Bottom of this page.



At 2280 meters as of 06:00 it was - 15, winds were 20-30 KPH from the South. At 1550 meters the temperature was -12, 92 % relative humidity and the barometer is rising. 12 cm of new snow overnight at pig alley and cat skinner weather plot recorded 4 cm. The valley temperature is -4. Its incredible that a convective cloud sitting on Whistler can produce 3 times the amount of snow compared to Blackcomb 4 kilometres away and 100 meters lower.

For the updated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

Skier buried in an avalanche at Mt Baker: Lucky guy

Heli bombing Stevens Pass April 2011: Helicopter Bombing

This picture is from last year but basically the same slide just bigger. 
An avalanche at Mt Baker closes the ski operations down March 15, click here for story: Mt Baker





Seeking your Input for the

Garibaldi Park Management Plan Amendment


The park is going to go through some changes potentially, everyone who uses it should fill in the survey before its closed. Please click here and make comments: Garibaldi Park Survey

18 Mar 2012

Should be another great day in the snow, Blackcomb dropped some cornices yesterday with no avalanches being triggered.

At 2280 meters the temperature was -13 as of 06:00. Winds were 25-35 KPH from the ESE. At 1550 meters the temperature was -9, 95 % relative humidity and the barometer is steady. 8 cm of new  was recorded overnight at pig alley while cat skinner weather plot was short changed with 2 cm.  In the valley it is -4.

For the updated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

For some more avalanche control footage click here:  Peak Chair

Avalanche fatalities in Europe: Austria

Avalanche claims 4 in Iran: Hamedan Ski Resort

What a week, 206 centimetres of snowfall at the catskinner weather plot from March 9-16 Th.


Some Field observations from the Duffy:

Thanks to Mike Gigliotti

No ct results at steep creek near 1800 meters sheltered trees. Variable deep 80 to 110 cmc shovel sheer results.  Others selected the steep routes and had big smiles. We skied our tracks and the road back. Nice fluffy snow. -7 to - 10 C. 
Ps. BIG snow banks to the Joffre summit and less than 1 third on the east side.   
Cheers
Mike G






From Lee Lau


From area in W Cayoosh

~ 60cms HST at 1300m; 80cms HST at 1850m; 100cms HST @ 1950m.  Hand shears didn't reveal much on the climbing skin track (N aspect) but then that's a lot of new snow.

Kinda curious whether the pwkl that broke someones femur from a couple of weeks ago was still there so dug a hasty.  HS on ridge ~240cm; on SE aspect just off ridge ~340cms.

10cms fist,
buried MF crust (1cm),
10cms fist
40cms 4F+
80cms 1f  to pencil

20 down CTH25 RP.  SS 2 down 80 failure on surface hoar (5mm grains) - so the surf hoar is still there but not overly reactive.

Didn't bother with the N aspect slopes as the hasties and pole probes showed pretty much fist snow in the storm interface.  Skied E then NE slope laps.  E had 30cms boot pen, NE 60cms boot pen.  Snow was of the blower in your face variety.

Temps fluctuated between -1 to -7 all day in the zone we were skiing.   Light wind gusts from SE



17 Mar 2012

I am sure the snow was epic, avalanche control work Friday produced size 1 avalanches at WB. Use of single and double shots were used. A few isolated size 1.5's. 30 cm 1F-P slabs. Settlement for the week of fallen snow was 50% at 1550 meters.

As of 06:00 the temperature was -11 at 2280 m , winds were 15-20 KPH from the NNE. At 1550 the temperature was -8, 95 % relative humidity and the barometer is on a slight decline. Trace  of new snow was recorded at cat skinner weather plot and 1 cm at the pig alley weather plot. In the valley it is -2. The winds turned around at mid night, ranged from North to East and maxed out at 25-40 KPH.

For the updated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

For a 11 minute clip on avalanche rescue practice at Jackson Hole click here: Avalanche Rescue

Keeping with this weeks theme, heli bombing at Fernie Alpine Resort: Blow it up

Spring time control work in Switzerland: Anzere

Most resorts are pretty keen on avalanche awareness: Sunshine

Some are like this snowman!!


An interesting shot of the Grizzly Lake Avalanche in motion!


This is from Wednesday, and the cornices haven't changed much in the past 48 hrs. It is sort of an odd image but it is an accurate representation of how big the cornices are getting. Thanks "Tony" for  this picture. Cornices are getting very big and temperature fluctuations will bring them to life. 




16 Mar 2012

It was dumping yesterday morning in the valley. It was also blowing hard in the Alpine!!

Here are some maximum winds recorded yesterday:

2280 m at 12:45 140 KPH 170 Deg SbE
1860 m at 12:45 88 KPH 179 Deg S
2000 m at 06:45 133 KPH 111 Deg ESE
1835 m at 11:15 105 KPH 165 Deg SbE
At 2280 meters the temperature was - 10 as of 06:00 hrs. The winds were 0-5 KPH from the South. At 1550 meters the temperature was -6, 97 % relative humidity, and the barometer is on a slight decline. 6 cm was recorded at Catskinner weather plot and there was 6 cm recorded at the pig alley weather plot. There was 20 % settlement in the new snow that fell in 24 hours.

For the latest Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

One lucky snowmobiler out runs avalanche, click here: Lucky

Test firing a gasex system: Testing

Up date on Ghost Mountain Avalanche: Ghost Mountain

A few photos and some field observations from Rohr Ridge. Thanks to Jay Audenart for the information.


We were up there on March 8th in the afternoon, skinning up the ridge there is a point where you can first look into a NW facing chute and into "Stellar Bowl". Seeing a large amount of debris I originally thought the stellar bowl had ripped out as I have seen before (2009?). But upon getting in to ridge top found the stellar bowl line was intact (lots of wind loading and big terrain-trap wind lips - did not ski),  skirted around it to the small lake mid way in the bowl. Skied to the slide where crown was from 50 to 180 cm. Bullet hard bed surface underneath. Mid Feb layer? I suspect (and I think you can tell from the photos) it was a cornice failure that caused the slide. It was warm the previous days and have since read on the CAA  south coast bulletin of reported cornice failures from that period. I think the slide emphasized to me a pretty good "tipping point" example!

Martin Offerson Photos


Field observations vs Snow pack test: Which is best when? by Bruce Jamieson Takes a while to load and is about 5 minutes long. Worth the time. Click here: Field Observations vs Snow pack test
Thanks to Ryan Bougie for the link.




Garibaldi Park Management Plan Amendment



Just another reminder to fill in the Garabaldi Park survey, click here to go to page: Your input is important








15 Mar 2012



Steep and deep in this photo but the trees will be the place to play today.  


At 2280 meters the temperature was -6 as of 06:00. Winds were 80-115 KPH from the SSE. At 1550 meters the temperature was -4, 98.6 % relative humidity and the barometer was dropping. In the valley it is -1. Over night 34 cm was recorded at
catskinner and 20 cm was recorded at pig alley.  The snow will continue until this afternoon, likely another 10-15 cm. Strong winds should persist through out the morning.   Wind slabs will be forming in many locations.  Advisable to allow all the storm snow to settle, gain some strength, before venturing into the alpine.  Size 1-3 avalanches can be expected. 

Cornices will continue to grow and become fragile. Remember to use the buddy system when in the trees. 

Russian soldiers having some fun : Dusted

Sifted through the trees on a snowmobile: Avalanche below tree line

Update on avalanche near Haines Ak: Haines

Click here for the updated Avalanche Advisory: Avalanche Advisory


Observations from the North: Thanks to Don Saugstad for the picture and observations.

On the 12th we dug a pit at 11am at 1930m on a line called "cheque's in the mail" - NW aspect, around 30deg. Snowing and blowing - (at 2000m approx 80kph SW) The prominent layers we found were at 40cm (CT15 rp), 85cm (CT21 rp), and 95cm (CT28). Height of profile-110cm, HS-360cm. We picked a conservative line down in amongst the big timber and trim line.
The 13th was spent skiing deep snow in the trees between 1400-1700m level. No activity heard or seen while out there, other than some storm sloughing.

Cheers, Don 




14 Mar 2012

Great pow skiing right to the valley yesterday!!! Avalanche control produced mostly size 1 avalanches yesterday with the exception of a size 2 off Phalnax Ridge, check below for some pictures of Fx line.

At 2280 meters as of 06:00 the temperature was -13, winds were 40-60 KPH from the SSE. At 1550 the temperature was - 10, 95 % humidity and the barometer is dropping. In the valley it is -4. 5 cm was recorded at pig alley and 3 cm at cat skinner weather plot. We could easily see 20 cm by tomorrow morning.

For the updated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

For a view at some cornice control click here: Be Gone Cornices

A video on what to do if caught in an avalanche: Tom Kimbrough

Update on Sparwood Avalanche : Sparwood Avalanche

Update on Ghost Mountain Avalanche: Ghost Mountain

Another fatality in the US,  Haines Alaska: Alaska

Thanks to Ryan for the next set of pictures of a Xh (explosive delivered by helicopter), on a slope referred to as Halifax off Phalnax Ridge. The culprit is likely the February 8 Th crust.

1.5 m max crown, tapers to .5 m


Fairly firm looking slab
1F facets on a crust
Fx line profile on Halifax slide path, ran full path into mature trees.


If you use the park, fill in the survey, you can make a difference!!

Garibaldi Park Management Plan Amendment

Please click here for survey: Garabaldi Park

13 Mar 2012

Yet another low with a big impact. Not only from the amount of snow but more importantly how many parts of the Province felt the winds.  Thanks for the shot Nicole.

Max Gust at 2280 Meters 157 KPH at 07:30 155 Deg, SSE
Max Gust at 1860 Meters 80 KPH at 08:30 169 Deg, SE
Max Gust at 2000 Meters 150 KPH at 10:15 105 Deg, ES
Max Gust at 1835 Meters 88 KPH at 07:00 119 Deg, SEE
Taken on March 12, 1012

If the instruments are accurate it is obvious that there is much variability. Which also means that the wind is blowing the snow in many directions. We all know that the mountains shift the wind around but it would be better information if directions were more accurate.

Another topic related to this is how well are we documenting the wind in association to wind transport??


Boxing the compass is a term from the sea, but perhaps as mountain folk we should embrace its accuracy.

Click here for some information on : Boxing the Compass

If your still interested click here: Historical Boxing

Enough of that, Catskinner weather plot received 33 Cm of snow in 12 hours yesterday.

At 2280 meters the temperature as of 06:00 was -14, winds were 30-40 KPH from the south. At 1550 meters the temperature was -10, 95 % humidity and the barometer is on the rise. At cat skinner there was 20 cm of new and at pig alley there was 20. More snow on the way!!! At cat skinner there was 44 cm in 24 hours and 80 cm on the storm board. Some good settlement going on. In the valley it was -2.

For the latest Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

Another avalanche fatality near Revelstoke on a similar layer to Grizzly Lake,
click here: Ghost Peak

A bit of a theme this week, more avalanche control footage: Marmot Basin

More information on the slide last week from Jackson Hole: Grand Tetons

Have to throw in one picture, big winds change things!!





12 Mar 2012

Good size slab popped out below the rocks.  March 8, 2012                                                                     Steven Boorne Photo


I was doing the spearhead traverse with some friends this week, and on Thursday we skinned up lookers right of Diavolo Peak off the Diavolo Glacier toward Benvolio Glacier, and we saw this slide.  It appears the slide stepped down.  Not sure how big the fracture was but the debris field was huge.  Spoke to someone who skied by there on Wednesday and this had not occurred, so must have happened sometime in the night or early morning of Thursday.  Humbling stuff…

At 06:00 it was -11 at 2280 meters, winds were 75-110 KPH from the ESE. At 1550 the temperature was    -7, 97 % relative humidity and the barometer is dropping. 11 cm of new snow was recorded at cat skinner and 10 cm at pig alley. In the valley it is -2. Finally we are into a cycle of snow for the week. Expect up to 30 cm of new by tomorrow morning. Strong winds today will reack havoc on the alpine.

Avalanche control yesterday produced size 1-2 avalanches.


For the updated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

Update on Sparwood Avalanche brings number to 7 fatalities in BC : Corbin Avalanche

Avalanche control at Kicking Horse, Click here: Avalanche Control

Thanks to Braden Douglas for submitting these photos from last Wednesday and Thursday.





Hi skiing up in behind Mt Currie, Gravel Cr drainage.
These are pretty old now, but both failed on the Feb 16 crust. The first one Horse Doctrin W aspect was size 2.5 pulled out upper meadow and strained down through the trees. Lucky now one got caught! The other one Bronco was NE aspect triggered at the top, and the rest went sympathetic after the first one sz 2's All around 1500- 1900m . Lots of other observations on all aspects running natural to size 3. South aspect. Active day out there.

11 Mar 2012

One of many slides that occurred on March 6, 2012.                             Whistler Heli Ski Photos


1500 hrs, Sa 2-2.5, 150M wide x 100M Long, 78 cm crown, 50 cm average, deposit was 2m in some places as it was a terrain trap at bottom. 1750m, NW aspect, moraine.No involvement.




As of 06:00 the temperature at 2280 meters was -8, winds from the ESE at 45-60 KPH.
At 1550 meters the temperature was -5 relative humidity was 96% and thebarometer is falling.                                                                                                 23 cm of new snow overnight at 1550 m and  25 cm recorded 1650 m. 
In the valley it is +1.  Yesterday produced some size 1-2 Sa. 





For the up dated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory





Another Avalanche fatality in BC near Sparwood, click here for link:        BC Avalanche















Beautiful avalanche off Mt. Niccy Code.                                                             Submitted by Yves Wenger




Thanks to Yves for sending these shots below :

These Next few ones from a slow warm whether climax avalanche that likely happened  during Last Sunday's rain & warm weather spill…. it happened right beside the Lilloet river on the way to Meager Hot Springs at about 150 meter elevation…. effectively closing the road until late spring…unless they bring in some heavy equipment, the walls where 14' to 16' high and it took everything on its way…. pretty cool to see...







Natures work.... 100' of thousands of perfectly shaped ice balls.... !!






Garibaldi Park Management Plan Amendment


For every one using the park its important to put your input into this survey, many changes could occur so it is important to send your thoughts: BC Parks Survey












10 Mar 2012

Lee Lau photo from this year 12-03-07 Tremor Trorey  Cull






From 2009 to show how bony the alpine is. 


Take the time to fill out the BC Parks survey, Click here: BC Parks


At 2280 meters the temperature is - 7, winds are ESE 40-50 KPH. At 1550 meters the temperature is - 3, 98 % relative humidity and the barometer is falling. 11 cm of new snow was recorded at pig alley. 7 cm recorded at cat skinner.   In the valley it is 0. All the models are pointing towards snow fall for the next week.


For the updated avalanche advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory




Another Avalanche Fatality in the US this week, click here for details: 2 Skiers


Cornices are dangerous , many people have died or hurt themselves from them breaking when you least expect it, click here : Cornice Failure

Here are some recent observations from Lee Lau:

Been very windy this year. Any snow this year has been accompanied by wind. On Monday March 5 there was reported N winds in the evening as the low pressure transitioned to high pressure. We thought it would be high-pressure so A, S and me planned to do a mini Spearhead and ski out the Curtain Glacier. I wanted to investigate an exit via Adit Lakes which would be new terrain for me 

Unfortunately it was graybird most of the day. Snow was pretty decent with easy travelling but windslab was a factor. There was windslab on the Decker approach. We took the low Decker - Trorey col which also had some w/s (20 - 10cms) on the ski entry to the Trorey Glacier. Inversion is in full effect. Minus 7 in valley and minus 1 at Decker shoulder so warming is also a bit of a concern. The windslab was a concern only in the first 20m or so of the route down Decker-Trorey then quite a bit less present on the Trorey Gl proper.

Route then was to Pattison. We poked a bit higher to take a look at NW Pattison which also looked quite slabby. Not wishing to roll dice we skied off SE Pattison to the Tremor Glacier then took the usual Spearhead route then to MacBeth col -Curtain Glacier. Tons of rime and wind effect on all aspects (probably that N wind at the tail end of last weekend's storm). Skipped Macbeth Pk to Stu's chagrin as I didn't feel the need to climb 100m of windslab.

Ski down Curtain Glacier was pretty good. Some mild slab but it's pretty protected with snow quality improving as you get lower as the temps actually dropped. Slots are well covered although still not as filled in as in 09's record year (so maybe avoid the central Curtain Glacier direct). Lots of solar effect on the bottom bit of the Platform Glacier fyi. Winds at MacBeth Col were medium fyi (SW at approx 20 - 30).

Fitz Creek at 1400m or so is quite covered so after some routefinding we punched through to the bowls below Russet Lake and began the laborious climb up to Russet Ridge then to Cowboy Ridge. 





9 Mar 2012

Large slide near Russet Lake Cabin, Released Wednesday Night.

Thanks to Justin Coughlin for this image.

 I was up doing the Spearhead yesterday / today.  The winds were blowing pretty consistently the whole time and the snow conditions seemed to reflect that.  We did come across this slide in the photo.  It was just to the North of the Russet Lake Hut where there is commonly a skin track to shortcut back to the top of Cowboy Ridge.  A group of three that spent the night at the hut seemed to think it happened overnight Wednesday. 




Hey Wayne,


Saw this today, thought I'd share it as it ran across a popular shortcut/exit route from Russet Lake.

This is the view from just below the Himmelsbach Hut, looking across with Russet Ridge behind the slide.
Couldn't see any tracks, although there was a skin track that passed over the toe of the slide. Someone exiting from the bottom of the moraine.

Went down for a view from below



Looks like it may have went yesterday or early today. Pulled out right from the top.

Thanks again for all the info,
Jamie



Thanks to Jamie May for these photos. 


At 2280 meters the temperature is - 4. Winds were 55-75 KPH from the SSE as of 06:00. Maximum temp +.5 at 15:30 yesterday.  At 1550 meters the temperature is + 2, relative humidity is 99.5 % and the barometer is dropping. Maximum temp there was +3.5 at 21:15 yesterday.  At the Catskinner plot there is 10 cm of new snow.  In the valley it is +2. Another turn of events which will certainly effect the avalanche conditions. 




For the updated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

Keeping with an international flavour this week thanks to Helene Huang for this link to an avalanche in China, there is an add at the beginning, it is a little long, but the footage of the avalanche in some nice looking tree skiing is worth the view: Tree Skiing


Hiro Okazaki Photo

This accident location was next to the site of Ma  early this week.

Observed lots of recent Na on exactly same recipe. At TL elev and E asp wind Sheltered terrain features. Good prop 40-60 cm some step down to deeper lyrs.
Small indicator slopes are showing where you should avoid stepping in.



An update from the avalanche involvement Saturday March 3 at Cerise Creek. The individual involved is still in the hospital, C7 Fracture, Lt clavicle fracture, and a skull fracture. Amazing that he self extricated from the scene. He could have used some TLC. 


Thanks to Nicole Koshure for sending this link of a snowmobile involvement from Utah, it has a happy ending: Snowmobile Rescue

8 Mar 2012

Grizzly Lake Avalanche, Group recovering buried snowmobile


As of 06:00 the temperature at 2280 meters was -2.5, winds were 30-45 KPH from the ESE. At 1550 meters the temperature was -2.8, 85 % relative humidity and the barometer was a a slight decline. There was no new snow over night. In the valley it is -5.

For the latest Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory


A news article on the Powder Mountain incident: Grizzly Lake

Another avalanche incident in California: Tahoe Area

The Grizzly Lake Avalanche brings to light the need to practice with your equipment. There are several comments at this site that are eye opening, please read carefully, click here: Grizzly Lake

Local AST 1 course practising conveyor shovel technique