Mountain Safety and Avalanche Awareness

[tirolski]

A bit more in this recent write up.

DEC warns backcountry users about avalanches - Adirondack Explorer

The state Department of Environmental Conservation issued an avalanche advisory for the High Peaks and other avalanche-prone terrain.

www.adirondackexplorer.org

 

[Campgottagopee]

If you all get a chance..take an AVi level 1 course. Learn a lot.

I've never taken the course. But I learned a shit-ton from a patroller buddy of mine.

 

[Ripitz]

I missed listing this one at Killington on Devil’s Fiddle with a 9’ crown!

“As with Mother Nature’s avalanches, most man-made snow avalanches occur during or immediately after a precipitation event. One of Killington’s largest avalanches occurred in the mid- eighties on its Devil’s Fiddle trail. Skip King remembers that the slide path was well over 300m (980’) long and left a crown that exceeded 3m (9’). It happened when all the guns were blowing snow during an overnight snowstorm that left nearly a meter of natural snow. “A lot of snow-making equipment was mangled and buried. They tried to shoot the remainder of it, but couldn’t get any more snow to kick loose.””

 

[Kingslug]

I took it at Alta..need to skin up the mountain 2nd and 3rd day to dig pits and do route planning. Now I can look at a place and pretty much see the danger. NH might be better as the climb knocked the shit out of me.

 

[Kingslug]

Climbing up Tux..the snow released under me like a tiny river. Knocked me off my feet. That place is scary. Also almost fell through a hole in the snow..looked down about 20 feet into a river. It killed someone the next week.

 

[tirolski]

This dude writes well for reading pleasure.

Jason Blevins, Author at The Colorado Sun

coloradosun.com

 

[raisingarizona]

Folks called the thing releasing on the mid station at Belle an avalanche. It was in fact a gravity powered "quick” release of sliding snow/H2O.

Which is called an avalanche.

 

[raisingarizona]

I’ve read that it wasn’t technically an avalanche. It fits Merriam-Webster’s definition and certainly looks like one to me, so I’m sticking to avalanche.

Through some quick research, I was surprised to learn about many inbounds Eastern avalanches. Most of them due to snowmaking. There are reports of them at Sugarloaf, Wildcat, Cannon, Stowe, Whiteface and Holiday Valley!
View attachment 8191
But maybe since these were mostly man made they weren’t “real” avalanches.

It doesn’t matter. Those are still avalanches and they can kill you.

 

[tirolski]

It doesn’t matter. Those are still avalanches and they can kill you.

Fucktons of snow sliding off roofs take out folks too, same with icicles breaking off and hitting folks. Uncontrollable gravity accidents are a bitch.

 

[Kingslug]

Had a ton of snow slide off a setback on a building I ran..landed on the next setback..went right through the glass hatch door..and on to a guys desk..hatch and all..would have killed him..bet he never thought about sitting under that thing before.
see..we have avalanches in NYC too...