January 15, 2006, Mt. Hood
1/15/06
OR Mt Hood
3314
5
Skinned up the ridge between Heather Canyon and Newton Creek on Sunday 1/15/06. Skinned up to about 6,000' then skied the North slope down into Newton Creek. On the skin back up 2 members of the party were caught in a slide. No injuries, but 1 member lost both poles and both skis. Poles and 1 ski easily recovered, but 1 ski still missing.
Prior to skiing the slope we dug a pit and found a weak layer approx 24" down. The slope is northfacing and heavily wind loaded. We made the decision to not ski the slope and instead skied the trees. However, on the ascent the members involved accidentily skinnned too far into the suspect slope due to lack of visbility.
Take care in the Backcountry.
Prior to skiing the slope we dug a pit and found a weak layer approx 24" down. The slope is northfacing and heavily wind loaded. We made the decision to not ski the slope and instead skied the trees. However, on the ascent the members involved accidentily skinnned too far into the suspect slope due to lack of visbility.
Take care in the Backcountry.
Thanks for the report Mr_D. I'm glad you made it out without injury. I was skiing at the resort yesterday. At the end of the day I went down the Heather runout and at the base was a group of 3 backcountry skiers talking to a pair of patrollers. I thought I heard them mention the avy word, maybe that was your party. How large and deep was the slide?
Not entirely sure of the size of the slide as the visibility was poor when I did arrive on seen, but I believe it was about 50' wide and slid at least 100'.
Hard to know for sure. The wind was blowing so hard that the debris field was already filled in.
I found a ski and poles 100' below the skiers.
Hard to know for sure. The wind was blowing so hard that the debris field was already filled in.
I found a ski and poles 100' below the skiers.
Thanks for the information Mr_D.
Are the trees you skied those just at/below treeline that frame the first main north facing slope? (on the far right in the picture below, or even out of sight down the ridge)
top of first main slope
Are the trees you skied those just at/below treeline that frame the first main north facing slope? (on the far right in the picture below, or even out of sight down the ridge)
top of first main slope
Yes, that is the area we skied. The slide occurred about 100 yards skiers left of the dense trees...right were the trees are thinning out.
Two friends and I were skiing in the same area that day. We happened to top the ridge shortly before the two people that were caught in the slide made it back to the ridge after climbing out of Newton Creek. We were glad that everyone involved was safe, and although one person had to ski out on one ski, it could have been a lot worse.
Our pre-trip planning indicated six to eight of new snow and fourty to fifty five mile an hour winds that night and morning, all the red flags were there to indicate a very hazardous day. On our climb up the ridge we could hear Mt. Hood Meadows doing control work (bombing Heather Canyon), which was another red flag. Our group saw major instability on the way up before getting to the top of the ridge. I ski cut a (small) drift and was able to get a slab to move on the buried crust. This was well below the upper ski slope that slid. Another red flag.
When we top the ridge there was major wind loading and you could hardy see, which was one of the factors that lead to the people skiing off course. Yet another red flag.
Not all of these red flags are as obvious as one would think; it takes training and lots of time in the mountains. Everyone that is a BC skier should ask himself or herself; have I taken a level-one avalanche awareness course?
Most great ski slopes, are also avalanche slopes.
There was another group skiing at Bennett Pass that was caught in a slide that day. We all can learn from events like this by reviewing conditions that lead up to the rise in the stability rating. The Northwest Avalanche Center puts out a forecast every day and is a great resource. Through their website, one can view the hourly temperatures and wind speeds from several mountain locations. Analyzing all of the pre-trip and field data that indicates instability can, and is, tricky, which is why completing an Avalanche course should be the starting point for all BC skiers.
In the Northwest, new snow and high winds = avalanche hazard.
Ski safe.
Our pre-trip planning indicated six to eight of new snow and fourty to fifty five mile an hour winds that night and morning, all the red flags were there to indicate a very hazardous day. On our climb up the ridge we could hear Mt. Hood Meadows doing control work (bombing Heather Canyon), which was another red flag. Our group saw major instability on the way up before getting to the top of the ridge. I ski cut a (small) drift and was able to get a slab to move on the buried crust. This was well below the upper ski slope that slid. Another red flag.
When we top the ridge there was major wind loading and you could hardy see, which was one of the factors that lead to the people skiing off course. Yet another red flag.
Not all of these red flags are as obvious as one would think; it takes training and lots of time in the mountains. Everyone that is a BC skier should ask himself or herself; have I taken a level-one avalanche awareness course?
Most great ski slopes, are also avalanche slopes.
There was another group skiing at Bennett Pass that was caught in a slide that day. We all can learn from events like this by reviewing conditions that lead up to the rise in the stability rating. The Northwest Avalanche Center puts out a forecast every day and is a great resource. Through their website, one can view the hourly temperatures and wind speeds from several mountain locations. Analyzing all of the pre-trip and field data that indicates instability can, and is, tricky, which is why completing an Avalanche course should be the starting point for all BC skiers.
In the Northwest, new snow and high winds = avalanche hazard.
Ski safe.
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