Saddle Peak, MT avalanche fatality
As with any avalanche fatality, there are opportunities to learn from tragic events. Of particular interest to me in this case is the size of the avalanche and the timing of the rescue. Both the avalanche size, type, track and bed surface are similar to avalanches frequently occurring in and near our forecast area. The […]
Avalanche Advisory for Friday, April 20, 2018
Six inches of new snow overnight arriving on increasing NW wind makes wind slab our avalanche concern today. No visibility this morning adds a degree of uncertainty to today’s forecast. We expect the snow to struggle to adhere to the ice crust which will act as today’s bed surface. This highlights a key characteristic about today’s avalanche problem; wind slab will likely be touchy to human triggers. In Moderate rated areas, the combination of wind and the slick bed surface may allow scouring to take place leaving areas of bed surface exposed. Considerable rated slopes, those in the lee of our fetch, should hold much larger areas of wind slab with limited to no old surface exposed. The potential for large avalanches exist in these areas with the possibility of natural avalanches due to continued loading through the day. The floor of Tuckerman Ravine today will be avalanche terrain as we have seen avalanches run far this year on well-developed slide paths. The hard bed surface will demand the use of crampons and an ice axe for those choosing to travel in avalanche terrain.