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Archive Index - All Editions

Snow-stomping Bootpackers in the War on Avalanches

COPPER MOUNTAIN — The hardy skiers shoulder their skis and wade into the waist-deep powder atop the steep Patrol Chute in Spaulding Bowl. Reed Ryan, the ski area’s snow safety boss, warns the crew of looming avalanche hazards. “We may hear some whumpfs. We may see some cracking. That’s fine. That’s what we are here for,” he says as the line of boot packers begins toddling down one of the steepest lines at Copper Mountain.

As they stomp down the slope they plug through powder to mix faceted early-season snow on the ground with fresh layers to compact and stabilize the snowpack. This means skiers can get into the steeps much earlier.The soldiers in Colorado’s perennial war on avalanches earn ski passes and lift tickets.
More ... (Colorado Sun)

Phenomenon Causes Ski Trail To Sever In Half

Weather blogger @markus_bayrhofer posted a photo of a ski slope with a massive split across the middle of the trail. The caption was simple. "Yesterday in St. Anton/Kapall there was a breaking point on the prepared track, but it has been repaired in the meantime." And the split wasn't just St. Anton/Kapall... according to Markus, a slope broke in Kitzbühel too! If you have taken an Avy 1 course (which we all should!) you may identify this phenomenon as "snow creep."

[Actually the photos look more like glide than creep. A good Avy 1 course would have explained the difference to the authors or their sources. While we can't say with absolute certainty both the nature of the crack and the contour of the slope, as well as recent weather, would favor glide over creep.]
More ... (Powder.com, photos may not load)
More ... (Yahoo Life, photos load, probably the same article as Powder)

Goat Takes 1,000-Foot Ride in Avalanche (and walks away!)

Ski Patrol at Big Sky Resort, Montana, reported an avalanche which appears to have been triggered by a goat, who was then carried the full length of the avalanche over rocks before escaping unharmed. The avalanche slid for 1,000 feet, was 40 feet wide, and had a two-foot crown. Patrol described goat tracks leading into the crown area of the avalanche and goat tracks leaving the debris pile at the bottom. There was no blood or signs of broken legs. It is unknown if the goat was wearing an airbag, but it appears it had a lucky escape after its significant ride.
More ... (NBC Montana)

New Avalanche Forecast in Island Park, ID

The US Forest Service is excited to announce that this year the mountains near Island Park, ID will have daily avalanche forecasts with avalanche Danger Ratings. This is exciting news for Montana visitors and resident backcountry skiers, snowmobilers and winter recreators of all stripes, as Island Park is right on the Idaho-Montana border, less than a half hour drive south of West Yellowstone (around an hour and half south of Big Sky). The need for more avalanche information was driven home in 2018 when there were two avalanche deaths only ten days apart when there were avalanche warnings for the Lionhead area (only around 15 miles away).
More ... (Explore Big Sky)