I hope this photo helps explain the point Lowell, Joe, Bill, etc. were making. It’s a helicopter shot taken the next day from nearby Crystal Lakes basin (just south of Crystal Mountain) roughly the same aspect, elevation and crown size as the Campbell Basin slide. Skiers in avi classes probably pay closer attention to slab and weak layer formation, and may be less familiar with the deformation occurring in lower layers of the snowpack in the Spring. So understandably, many wouldn’t anticipate a Ski Area’s need to test slopes for deeper instability before encouraging guests to travel beneath them. But if you saw the huge natural avalanche below Crystal’s Rockface around Noon on April 1st, 2011 (similar weather dynamics) you’d appreciate the steps taken to prevent a similar situation on busy Queen’s Run last week. You wouldn't want you and your posse to be buried under that pile ‘o debris you see in the bottom of that basin there, would you? Or have all the ski areas just close until we're sure the hazard is gone...July maybe?
On a related note: Boy, I would hope that if I found myself way at-odds with a respected member of the avalanche community like “Lowell ‘F-ing’ Skoog”, I would recognize the wisdom in also paying closer attention to the science of Human Factors in avalanche accidents (condensed version: listen to the girls and the grey-hairs) before getting too committed to one particular point of view. (See the NWAC “Education” opportunities for more Science!)
OK I'll bite. Let's look at the facts. The defenders of Crystal's decision that day are claiming that the snowpack was in a uniquely dangerous condition. For the sake of argument, let's assume that was true. The day before they got extraordinary (and unanticipated) results from bombing Employee Housing. Based on those two data points, they should have known that extraordinary results were possible on the Throne. But, they still decided to bomb it, which resulted in $1.7m damage, and the video proves they did not think that result was possible. It was clearly a mistake, in retrospect. An honest mistake, yes, but a mistake nonetheless. As for closing the resort when the danger is unmanageable. Yes, that's exactly what they should do. I'm sure their policy is to take no action unless they're 100% certain that it will not harm anybody or destroy a lift. Do you disagree? My assessment is they fell into a heuristic trap. They assumed that it wouldn't go that big because it never had before UNDER NEARLY IDENTICAL CONDITIONS.
BTW - Lowell can be wrong too. You're falling for the "experts halo". You should take another avy class.
