Jan 24, 2008, Snow Lake, Snoq, *with slide action*
1/24/08
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2888
3
I don't normally do a lot of trip reports, but this, I felt, merits a quick word of caution.
Thursday, Jan. 24, my buddy Dave and I made a quick trip to Snow Lake on Snoqualmie Pass after work. We headed up-valley and past Source Lake, and on up. After reaching the pass above Source Lake we noticed a 10mph wind from the south. We dropped immediately to Snow Lake on the most direct route, a north-facing aspect with a slope angle of approx. 32 degrees. Half way to the lake, we noticed a soft wind crust, and shortly after, it slid out. I skied to the side and it slid past without incident. The crown appeared to be approx 10 to 12 inches, and the affected area was approx 20x50 feet, pretty small by comparison, but there were a lot of similar aspect slopes just waiting to go. After descending to the lake, we skinned up the typical route near to where the summer trail ascends, but didn't observe any instabilities on this slope, despite being the same aspect/elevation as the slope that slid. I don't know if this is from the wind event at the beginning of the week, but the aspect suggests otherwise. The day previous I skied the Chair Pk loop, and the snow was bomber, light and deep, and didn't come across any such conditions, so this one startled me, to say the least.
BE CAREFUL!
Avy report from NWAC:
ZONE AVALANCHE FORECASTS
* OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES, MT HOOD AREA-
MODERATE avalanche danger below 7000 feet through
Friday with greatest danger on west and southwest
exposures near higher ridges and near the Cascade
passes.
Thursday, Jan. 24, my buddy Dave and I made a quick trip to Snow Lake on Snoqualmie Pass after work. We headed up-valley and past Source Lake, and on up. After reaching the pass above Source Lake we noticed a 10mph wind from the south. We dropped immediately to Snow Lake on the most direct route, a north-facing aspect with a slope angle of approx. 32 degrees. Half way to the lake, we noticed a soft wind crust, and shortly after, it slid out. I skied to the side and it slid past without incident. The crown appeared to be approx 10 to 12 inches, and the affected area was approx 20x50 feet, pretty small by comparison, but there were a lot of similar aspect slopes just waiting to go. After descending to the lake, we skinned up the typical route near to where the summer trail ascends, but didn't observe any instabilities on this slope, despite being the same aspect/elevation as the slope that slid. I don't know if this is from the wind event at the beginning of the week, but the aspect suggests otherwise. The day previous I skied the Chair Pk loop, and the snow was bomber, light and deep, and didn't come across any such conditions, so this one startled me, to say the least.
BE CAREFUL!
Avy report from NWAC:
ZONE AVALANCHE FORECASTS
* OLYMPICS, WASHINGTON CASCADES, MT HOOD AREA-
MODERATE avalanche danger below 7000 feet through
Friday with greatest danger on west and southwest
exposures near higher ridges and near the Cascade
passes.
Wind has been a major force near the crest this week. I too had a similar episode on a N slope on silver peak the day prior. Low density transport. I'd watch these areas next week when the new snow loads them.
cool pic of the wind transport over the packed tracks, surely shows the clear evidence of wind transport and alot of it. will be on the lookout. thanks for the update, it surely is worthy to note.
Chris
Chris
Thanks Plinko. Glad everything turned out ok! Both my own experiences, this post, and this one have led me to be more conservative than usual when interpreting the NWAC forecast.
Watch out for more wee slides today! My experience Wednesday found lots of little pockets of windslab on NW facing aspects - some evil, some possibly benign.
Watch out for more wee slides today! My experience Wednesday found lots of little pockets of windslab on NW facing aspects - some evil, some possibly benign.
Reply to this TR
Please login first: