From NWAC - This is worth noting

Maybe it's just me, but see anything wrong with this picture?? Taken this past saturday.

I'm not sure what you are suggesting Al? But what I see is a small avalanche triggered by cornice collapse that traveled downslope and then overstressed a deeper weak layer as the sliding snow encountered a convexity. It looks like the avalanche happened when the snow was moist but the debris may just be lumpy because of cohesiveness of the slab.

I would add that the photo understates the steepness of the terrain because of perspective.

I think he is talking about the snowmobiliers who ripped right up the slopes next to it (those tracks). I watched the whole thing and was just waiting for the slope to rip BIG.

I think he is talking about the snowmobiliers who ripped right up the slopes next to it (those tracks). I watched the whole thing and was just waiting for the slope to rip BIG.

I almost commented on the snowmobilers because I believe they are operating inside a wilderness boundary. You should send the photo to the Forest Service.

That bowl has the potential for huge avalanches like the one in 1990. If bilers continue to go there sooner or later they will make the news.

Those crusts scare me when the snow underneath is weak and sloppy. It seems to me that the collapse of the crust may be all it takes for the sloppy, wet snow to begin to slide as a slab. I call those thumper crusts because they kind of thump and collapse in stages.

I have observed those on the eastern slopes, just over the crest at Crystal.
I was baffled by the observations. My fears on more open slopes was less of the underlying glop, even though my awareness was heightened of a possible slop-a-lanche. I was concerned that the upper crust melt freeze layer slope above me would fracture into plate glass shards and we would be turned into joliet carrots since it was hovering over the glop. Envision a whole slope above you that is a 1.5" melt freeze layer suspended over glop-not a good safe feeling.

well, Gary got the bonus points. Joe is correct, it is steeper then it looks as well.

This was just casual observation at a glance....I'm probabbly missing something.

nearly identical bowl behind bilers had slid and was laying down at the bottum of grouse creek at the historic trimline. simular slope at right of pic also slid, but was restricted form running by slope shape...



slope that the bilers road was blank when we arrived. Our conversation was that it looked like a time bomb. biler one zipped up no problem, # 2 had problem up top and started to have to cut right. we thought for sure something bad was going to happen.

I'm guessing these guys had a wealth of knowledge we didn't have? Don't know where they came from or how they assessed the condtions. Their results looked good. Gave us a little more false confidence.

well written report is out for the recent grouse creek incident, as well as Cashmere.



www.nwac.us/accidents/

I'm guessing these guys had a wealth of knowledge we didn't have?  Don't know where they came from or how they assessed the condtions. Their results looked good. Gave us a little more false confidence.

I've heard that a devining rod can be gainfully employed for such weaknesses.