Morse Creek Slab???

Has anyone heard anything more on the Morse Creek Avy last weekend? It was briefly mentioned in the NWAC forecast, but thats all I've seen on it.<br>

By now you may have seen a bit added to the TV news item on the snowmobile deaths about a skier that was injured and airlifted to harborview with broken ribs and internal injuries.<br>I was up there helping out with a mounties' avy course field trip. We were convening at the top of chair 4 about 2:30 pm, when a bunch of snowmobiles charged by. Later a pro patroler stopped by and gave us a rundown on what was going on. <br>From what we gathered a very experienced bc skier and his wife were skiing the back side of three way peak (south aspect) and were both caught in a slide which took them through the trees. Apparently the man was not fully buried as we were told that he dug out his wife, cleared her airway and then went for help to ski patrol.<br>I was sure happy to hear she survived. Hope she's doing better today.<br>Be careful out there, folks. We can't afford to lose any posters

Wow! No I had not heard anything yet, not our local news nor the Tri-Cycle Herald. It sounds like they came in from the N. side then. I've been skijoring up in there from the Normile grade and it just looked like really dicey terrain after you get past the Gold Hill cabin. The trail passes under some nice convex slopes. I don't go in there by myself anymore.<br><br>Thanks for the info, ronj. Sounds like your avy class went well- out with them during the real deal conditions.

I casually know the victims and wish them both a speedy recovery. The victims are new to this area. I believe this is the first year on Crystal’s patrol for the male<br>I have a friend who was assisting in the recovery. I could elaborate further, but after hearing the rescue story it was very a complicated extrication involving a lot of people, safety, snow cats, snow mows, helicopters, whether moving in, nightfall. Furthermore, heavy medical equipment for stabilization had to be hauled over a potentially dangerous avalanche ridge where the helicopter could not land due to hazards. The volunteers involved must be applauded for their strenuous efforts to help the couple. Thank goodness no one else was injured in the process of recovery. Ironically I was standing on top of the King observing the skin track they made to go over to Morse Creek. It was probably at the very same time he was digging his wife out of the mess. <br><br>I have toured the Morse Creek area quite a bit over the years and the entire exposure that faces East-Southeast- South is extremely prone to destructive avalanches. Only on very stable days it is safe to travel these slopes. Naturals are a natural on this exposure. The cliffs and trees drop little balls of snow that escalate into a huge avys. Usually the slope has a prominent buried crust at all times of the winter season due to the Eastern exposure. In the spring it percolates very deep. Their huge slide was probably due to predominate West wind loading on surface crust from the storms Thursday-Friday and then rained on Sunday early AM. Top it off by getting zapped by significant warming and March sun. The area experienced too many extreme conditions in a short period of time. <br><br>Thursday and Friday were very good storms! I spent my day constantly ski controlling slopes before I skied down. Even getting caught in some small soft slabs after my own control work. The upper mountain finally succumbed to blow down around 3pm Friday. Saturday’s ski area snow conditions rope-a-doped a lot of people including my self to believing snow had magically stabilized. Although, I was very leery of conditions due to my previous days experience. I stayed to the area backcountry I ski controlled the day before. Also the info I had read on NWAC page (COULD CAUSE DESRUCTIVE AVALANCHES). In Crystal's area Saturday there was little evidence of wind/snow affect (North Summits and West Faces) that occurred all Friday and the skiing was stable on the surface and superb. Bombs from the Patrol were getting small results; surface slough and things appeared stable. On Saturday a CMAC coach took a group kids out to Northway and taught them how to stand on top of cornices while the students stood below the cornice! I could not believe that! Everything was magically healed the storm is gone and the sun is out! We can all run free! <br><br>I am reminded that my confidence seems to escalate after I have had success accomplishing tours that are safe, but could potentially become sketchy. This could make my future decision making process tainted. I have had my share of riding huge wet slides into terrain traps and surviving with only cuts and bruises or skiing trough trees in stable conditions and entering a small steep glade only to have it fracture and sweep me through trees. I have been fortunate not to have been seriously injured or killed! All this experience makes hard lessons. The learning curve for ski touring never ends. I hope to live a long happy life and possibly die in my bed not in a bed of snow! When I tour we debate and assess routes. A lot of people respect my input to decide a safe route. Most times we continue the trip or go home. Due to my experience I feel that the comfort of the group can turn if I get nervous about a certain condition I see. It is difficult to let dreams of accomplishment get in the way of what is safe. I need a certain degree of confidence to have a relaxing time, and not allow my ego to ignore the possibilities that may endanger others and myself. Overconfidence and the need to accomplish a trip on my day off are just as dangerous as buried surface hoar-an accident waiting to happen. I can’t stress enough this human emotional aspect of touring as an important if not the most significant level of avalanche awareness! <br>

Joedabaker, your input is invaluable. Wish I could buy you a beer or three and pick you brain about the Morse basin. Particularly whether it is generally a safe tour straight on through to Placer Lake from 410.<br><br>Thanks muchly, and I am so glad those folks are alive. What a rude intro to the Cascades.

David thanks for the kind words. <br>I would love to take you up on a soda some time and chat the hills. Like I inferred to before -there is so much learning to be done at all levels. <br>Placer Lake is safely accessible from 410. Are you from the East side? You can access from the road that goes to Bear Gap TH and follow up to the Miners Cabins and continue through the trees to the lake. Check your map for direction. It is a very safe route and gentle grade.<br> From my late teens through much of my 30's I skied Alpental almost every weekday it was open. I knew this area intimately. Not just the terrain, more importantly the snow. I had the fortune of befriending several great guys from the WSDOT who do the avalanche control work for the Snoqualmie Pass. Plaid wearing guys like Craig Wilbur, Lee Redding and Gibson the names could go on and on. Many of the named runs (If not all) in Alpental's backcountry were discovered by these men of the mountain (talk about losing your personal discovery zone!). They taught me several techniques on safe travel, such as respect, communication, descending to safe zones, ski cutting, reading terrain (snow), climbing techniques. When I traveled with them I listened, felt and watched. Back then the avalanche knowledge was not what is today. There were no computers and Internet. Snowmelt was measured in an old tin can contraption! I toured on their experience, instinct and gut feeling (Those would be great ski run names). I thank them for all the basic knowledge I have today. It has not kept me out of all avalanches, but has saved me from many precarious situations. When I put myself in harms way the potential may happen.<br><br>Here's a good lesson- I was contemplating at Alpental many years ago in my early 20's. Where would be the safest place to travel to avoid an avalanche in the Alpental area. I figured the old growth trees behind the maintenance shack. The very next day I came back to Alpental and I could not believe my eyes! The road to lot 2 was blocked by old growth trees piled 20 feet high like toothpicks almost to the maintenance shack. Employees’ cars and trucks were piled under the weight of snow and trees! There were people in the maintenance shack that did not even hear the slide and there were people at Snoqualmie Summit that said it sounded like a freight train crash! Hence the creation of the Phantom! From that day forward it is a constant reminder of the potential insignificance of my decision making process. What seems very concrete can become very porous.<br>

Hey Joe! <br><br>Don't mean to hijack this thread.... but long time no see or ski. Jan Kordel here, remember days of learning new Alpy BC lines in leather boots? Are you mostly skiing Crystal these days? I'm still skiing Alpental fairly regularly <br><br>You're absolutely right about there always being something new to learn. I know I've learned the hard way more than once and am very glad to still be around. Stop in and lets go for a tour if you find yourself up at Alpental....

Thanks Jan-I can (barely) run, but I can't hide. When I get up to the old stomping grounds I will look you up! I am doing well and bought a house in Crystal River Ranch a few years ago. Crystal area is my home hill now. You are welcome here any time! Unfortunatly no more Telemarking-I gave away all my old leathers, bought some T1's and have lost the spirit and the worn cartligage for the disipline. I only Tele one day a season. Maybe we should organize a Tele day when I dawn the skis for the year? I ran into Gib doing DOT work at Chinook pass last Spring and we went on a work tour. He nearly fainted when he saw my stiff boots and noticed I switched to AT gear! <br><br>You must be on the Patrol! I have nothing but respect for your talents on the hill and in the BC. If I don't see you at Alps I would like to tour with you after the lift season in my neck of the woods. Contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cheers-Joe

Happened to run across a report on this incident at: <br><br>www.nwac.noaa.gov/documents/accidents/20...e_Creek_Accident.pdf

Thanks, Rux, it was good to review it.