Jim Hill Death Slabs 1/28
1/15/09
4187
8
Wanting to get out and make some pow turns Dan and Myself went to tackle Jim Hill Mountain.
We did the approach from the Stevens Pass nordic center to Lanham lake. The NW headwall was in horrible condition Avy chundered and unskiable so we changed plans. We skinned up the Western ridge through dense forest and 2 inches on ice. Finally when we were near the ridge conditions changed there was about two feet on windblown snow that was cracking in some spots. When we made it up to the ridge we cut a nice sized cornice and it caused a slab fracture over a foot deep and 8 feet wide that ran down over 300 feet.
Long story short be carful out there.
We did the approach from the Stevens Pass nordic center to Lanham lake. The NW headwall was in horrible condition Avy chundered and unskiable so we changed plans. We skinned up the Western ridge through dense forest and 2 inches on ice. Finally when we were near the ridge conditions changed there was about two feet on windblown snow that was cracking in some spots. When we made it up to the ridge we cut a nice sized cornice and it caused a slab fracture over a foot deep and 8 feet wide that ran down over 300 feet.
Long story short be carful out there.
Any pictures?
And to add to your warning, I stood too close to the edge of the cornice over that wind-loaded snow field and it collapsed! Of course I knew that was a danger, but I did it anyway.
so just a reminder, watch those slabs AND don't stand too far over the start zone. I fell about 6 feet down behind a 3 feet of cornice slab that broke off and impacted a 35 degree ice slope. had that been the slab you mention that also would have started a slide. sounds like bonding of new cold snow is poor on the old ice sheet.
And to add to your warning, I stood too close to the edge of the cornice over that wind-loaded snow field and it collapsed! Of course I knew that was a danger, but I did it anyway.
so just a reminder, watch those slabs AND don't stand too far over the start zone. I fell about 6 feet down behind a 3 feet of cornice slab that broke off and impacted a 35 degree ice slope. had that been the slab you mention that also would have started a slide. sounds like bonding of new cold snow is poor on the old ice sheet.
was it this slope? on the left?
Sadly it was the other side of the mountain in Dense woods west of Lanham lake.
The visibility was poor and we had never been there before so we stuck in the trees
This was the headwall we decided against climbing
The visibility was poor and we had never been there before so we stuck in the trees
This was the headwall we decided against climbing
WHAT?! You guys are pansies! ;) just kidding, glad you guys played it safe. The snow is coming...
gross and yuck yuck.... even if it had been safe that'd be shit skiing.
BTW i think the other approach looks much much easier....
even with safe snow that looks like a shit slope.
Love the title of this trip report. It's like a Japanese translation of an American horror movie.
Definitely looks like good judgement on your part. The terrain you avoided is very complicated and reminds me of scary places I've been in the not-so-distant past. I would have avoided it too. Unless there were thousands of cookies on top.
Definitely looks like good judgement on your part. The terrain you avoided is very complicated and reminds me of scary places I've been in the not-so-distant past. I would have avoided it too. Unless there were thousands of cookies on top.
Reply to this TR
Please login first: