[killclimbz]

Things are getting nasty or are about to get nasty for most of us in the West. Check your local avalanche center for conditions. The dreaded black rose is appearing for most areas above 7k in the PNW. Can you say deadly? Other elevations appear to be all red. "High" avalanche danger. No question there will be avalanches if you travel in the wrong terrain.

Utah and Colorado are just starting to get hammered. Both states snow packs are absolute crap. Large propagating avalanches are going to be the norm for the next few days. The facets are probably going to be a persistent problem for weeks if not months in either state. It won't take much to trigger these.

If you don't know your local avalanche centers website, Avalanche.org has them all linked on the map on it's homepage.

If you haven't been paying attention to the daily reports, now would be a good time to do so.

Make good decisions out there.

 

[snowvols]

Here is a fun video to show how awesome we got out it out here. Mind you this is before the storm we are about to get. Looks for sure like it will be an inbounds weekend with hoping for BC turns next week.

 

[linvillegorge]

Holy crap at that video! It's hard to tell from the video, but that honestly doesn't even look like what one would normally even consider avy terrain. Certainly doesn't look 30 degrees from me based on that video.

You'll find me inbounds pretty much exclusively for quite some time. I'm not experienced enough to fuck with this bullshit.

 

[snowvols]

The ridge line they were on of course was not but where it slid was. They were about to initiate the slide below them and off it went with a 3' crown and all. It will be scary out there for sure.

 

[killclimbz]

That is ugly, no doubt. Not a slope your typical Utah backcountry skier would consider dangerous too.

I'll be getting out Sunday, but terrain selection will be seriously limited. Fortunately, there are a lot of safe options at Bert even on high avy danger days. Of course there are a lot of deadly options too. I'll take the former please.

 

[linvillegorge]

Gotcha. I hate videos when you're looking straight up or straight down a slope. Pretty much impossible to get a good feel for the angle of the terrain.

 

[Milo303]

I hope the forthcoming storm jerks everything down and we start over....

That's about the best option at this point.... Still won't be seeing me doing much on my board for a while.

 

[AcroPhile]

A skier died in Aspen in an avalanche not three hours after this thread was started. RIP Not seeing anything on CAIC about it yet but here's the Denver Post article: http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19769431?source=rss

 

[cjcameron11]

Here is a fun video to show how awesome we got out it out here. Mind you this is before the storm we are about to get. Looks for sure like it will be an inbounds weekend with hoping for BC turns next week.

2 things, so I have no BC experience is this considered a slab avalanche? also when it slid it seemed to stop rather quickly, is this because the terrain was not as steep as some other avalanches i have seen?

Vibes to the skiers family RIP

 

[killclimbz]

A skier died in Aspen in an avalanche not three hours after this thread was started. RIP Not seeing anything on CAIC about it yet but here's the Denver Post article: Pitkin County names snowboarder killed today, skier killed in separate accident to be named later - The Denver Post

Still very little info on this. John Snook from CAIC put a tweet up about it yesterday before I signed off for the day. Not 100% sure, but it sounds like a skier got carried over cliffs and buried. The CAIC should have a preliminary report up later today.

A snowboarder was also killed, though not avalanche related. Sounds like he pinballed off of some trees and was impaled through the chest by a branch. Brutal.

RIP to those souls.

I won't say don't get out, but those who do, it's really time to watch your terrain selection and angles. If you can't dial it back, don't go out. Everything is at the tipping point right now.

*Edit the CAIC Preliminary report*

 

[killclimbz]

Another good video from the UAC and Park City Ski patrol doing avalanche control. Bruce Tremper shows why the snow pack is so crappy this year in Utah and Colorado. If this doesn't set off warning alarms for you, nothing will.

 

[ShredLife]

goddamn that layer looks sooo nasty.. i'm glad i live in the PNW - that kind of danger makes the BC look like no fun.

 

[killclimbz]

It's the price you pay for super light dry powder. That layer is way more pronounced than in years past. In fact I have never seen so much of it. Everyone is freaking out, which is a good thing, since that means they are thinking about it. Once it gets buried deep enough, the facets will turn to rounds and bond. That will take weeks though.

 

[snowvols]

2 things, so I have no BC experience is this considered a slab avalanche? also when it slid it seemed to stop rather quickly, is this because the terrain was not as steep as some other avalanches i have seen?

Vibes to the skiers family RIP

Yes that is considered a slab avalanche. You can tell form the video that wind loading was still happening while they were filming. The runout didn't occur very long due to the pitch of the terrain so you are right in that aspect. The report says the slope was 36 degrees so right in the zone. If you want to get your nerd on there are more photos and another video of that slide.

Avalanche: Wolf Creek Pass 1/17/2012 | Utah Avalanche Center

 

[snowvols]

Another good video from the UAC and Park City Ski patrol doing avalanche control. Bruce Tremper shows why the snow pack is so crappy this year in Utah and Colorado. If this doesn't set off warning alarms for you, nothing will.

Saw that video when they posted it up on facespace. It is an awesome video for sure. There are reports of wide spread natural occurring here since last night 15" or so fell and I am stuck at work :thumbsdown:

 

[killclimbz]

Well, it's started snowing in the mountains here. 2-4" at most places overnight, but it is still snowing. I am thinking we'll be in the two-three foot zone by Monday morning. The real story is the winds. 90mph gusts were forecasted for yesterday. 60's today. Brutal winds. Hopefully they calm down. I'll check it out on Sunday. My guess is we are going to be doing some very low angle stuff...

 

[ColoRADical]

Another good video from the UAC and Park City Ski patrol doing avalanche control. Bruce Tremper shows why the snow pack is so crappy this year in Utah and Colorado. If this doesn't set off warning alarms for you, nothing will.

2:04 to the end of that video

This storm coming in will really improve the situation

(You have to read my post and watch the video for full effect)

 

[IdahoFreshies]

i think im going to go take an avi class with a couple of friends if i plan on riding more out of bounds or Back country, just to learn the tips and things to look out for.

 

[marcdeo]

i think im going to go take an avi class with a couple of friends if i plan on riding more out of bounds or Back country, just to learn the tips and things to look out for.

Diddo. No BC for me until I take a full fledged avy course including practice with the equiptment. I've said it before and I'll say it again. This forum may have saved my life. thanks guys.

(aside - Branch through the chest!?!?!? damn.... what a gruesome site to stumble upon)
thoughts with the families of those that perished.

 

[killclimbz]

Definitely take an avalanche course. You need to know the basics to help you make the right decisions out there. The wrong decision can quite literally be deadly.