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April 13, mt Catherine slide

4/13/13
WA Snoqualmie Pass
4149
6
Posted by ND on 4/13/13 5:37pm
Went up to Catherine today planning to ride the east ridge. Coming up from the saddle I heard a whoomph, but the snow was not cohesive, no slab. We discussed and decided to push for east and evaluate when we got there since its a totally different aspect.
When we transitioned and started to head across the ridge. Second person went down and when they were just out of sight I saw the slope bellow the ridge go, about an 8" slab across a couple hundred feet.  No red jackets in it, yelled down and got two responses. Looked at the slope bellow me and it had a sympathetic release, didn't connect at all with the original slide. Trigger point of original slide was two feet down from the ridge, no tracks on it.
We pulled the plug and toured back west.

Scary indeed considering I usually opt for Catherine as a safer, well anchored alternative when the danger is higher. Then again, it sounds like yesterday was a model day for instability across the region.

Thanks to hipstergram I was able to get the photo to show the crown much more clearly.  This was taken at the trigger point, crown extendeds beyond the tree in photo and runs behind me about an equal distance. 

Scary!! Thanks for sharing, glad everyone in your party is ok. Bad day for accidents! I wonder if things are any more stable in other areas? Pretty negative note for NWAC to end its forecasting on :(

Snowpack Discussion
Storm total snowfall from late Friday through early Sunday along most west slope areas and volcanoes has mostly been 1.5-3 ft. Rapid loading and some daytime warming Saturday produced a significant increase in avalanche danger and several avalanche accidents including the first fatal avalanche in the northwest this season after a snow-shoer was buried and recovered alive but later died from a slide near Red Mountain near Snoqualmie Pass Saturday afternoon. One climber is still missing after being caught in a slide along with two climbing partners that were injured in the slide on Granite Mountain. There were other close calls, including a snowboarder being nearly totally buried after triggering a slide outside the ropes of Stevens Pass Ski Area along with his partner who was partially buried but able to extricate himself and dig out his partner.

Conditions are better south.  Skied mt St. Helens with Kevin yesterday.  No instabilities noted.  Only a few inches of new down low and wind blown up higher.

author=mikeb link=topic=28271.msg118913#msg118913 date=1366043793]
Conditions are better south.  Skied mt St. Helens with Kevin yesterday.  No instabilities noted.  Only a few inches of new down low and wind blown up higher.



Nice!! Sorry I missed it - hopefully this baby will come soon and I can still catch some early Spring snow :)

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