sardog1
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Yes, Alfred E., here's why you should be cautious and avy-savvy. From today's USFS White Mountain National Forest Avalanche Forecast :
10:12 a.m., Monday, December 27, 2004
Tuckerman Ravine has CONSIDERABLE and HIGH avalanche danger. The Lower Snowfields have Considerable avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are possible and human triggered avalanches are probable. Be increasingly cautious in steeper terrain. All other forecast areas in Tuckerman have High avalanche danger. Natural and human triggered avalanches are likely on a variety of aspects and slope angles. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. The Little Headwall, which is mostly running water, has Moderate avalanche danger.
Huntington Ravine has CONSIDERABLE and HIGH avalanche danger. The Escape Hatch, South, O'Dells, and Pinnacle have Considerable avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are possible and human triggered avalanches are probable. Be increasingly cautious in steeper terrain. Central, Yale, Damnation and North Gullies have High avalanche danger. Natural and human triggered avalanches are likely on a variety of aspects and slope angles. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.
We began receiving very light density snow yesterday morning which measured between 2.5 and 3.5% water content, very light! As the day continued densities rose giving us an average of 5.25% for the entire 18cm (7in) we picked up here at Hermit Lake in the past 24 hrs. Due to higher densities crushing the extremely light crystals underneath I believe we actually received more than we calculated this morning due to rapid settlement. Loading began with S winds yesterday and than diminished as winds wrapped through the E overnight. As of 5 am winds moved to the NNE and begin increasing. At around 7am they moved to the N where they currently sit gusting to 112kph (70mph). The wind shift and velocity increase has dramatically begun loading southerly aspects and the cross loading of others. Winds are expected to move to the NW/WNW around noon which will begin effecting westerly aspects more substantially as the day progresses. New loading snow should be battered by the wind creating smaller broken crystals forming denser slabs on the light unconsolidated snow from yesterday morning. This will all be sitting on top of the rain crust from 4 days ago. There is also an enormous temperature gradient of 8.9 degrees C in the upper 20cm of the snowpack which compounds the current problems. Over the past hour blowing snow has filled the air reducing visibility considerably. The forecast is also expecting another 5cm (2in), which won't help stability or visibility.
Mountaineers should be ready for very icy snow slopes under new light density snow. There is a potential for long sliding falls to occur if self-arrest is not achieved quickly. Off trail explorers should certainly have snowshoes; otherwise you probably won't get very far due to the breakable crust under the new snow. Conditions under the new snow is very hard and icy all visitors should be prepared with crampons and an ice axe.
THE LION HEAD SUMMER TRAIL IS NOW CLOSED DUE TO THE AVALANCHE PRONE SLOPES JUST BELOW TREELINE. THE LION HEAD WINTER ROUTE IS OPEN. Mountaineering skills and equipment are required for safe travel on this route.
The John Sherburne Ski Trail is very icy under the new snow so be prepared for occasional hard conditions particularly in waterbars and where wind may scour snow down to the old surface. Expect some rocks, bushes and waterbars.
As always, this advisory is one more tool to help you make your own decisions in avalanche terrain. It should be used along with your own snow stability assessments, knowledge of safe travel techniques, skill in reading mountain weather's effect on the snowpack, and avalanche rescue. To improve these skills take an avalanche course. We have all the avalanche courses offered in and around the Mt. Washington Valley this winter on our website, tuckerman.org.
PLEASE REMEMBER:
*
• Any new precipitation may increase the avalanche danger, this includes wind transported snow.
*
• Obtain the latest weather forecast and review archived avalanche advisories at www.tuckerman.org for snowpack history before heading into the mountains.
*
• For more information, contact the U.S. Forest Service Snow Rangers, the AMC at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center or Hermit Lake Shelters or the HMC Caretaker at Harvard Cabin.
*
• This advisory will expire at midnight.
10:12 a.m., Monday, December 27, 2004
Tuckerman Ravine has CONSIDERABLE and HIGH avalanche danger. The Lower Snowfields have Considerable avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are possible and human triggered avalanches are probable. Be increasingly cautious in steeper terrain. All other forecast areas in Tuckerman have High avalanche danger. Natural and human triggered avalanches are likely on a variety of aspects and slope angles. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. The Little Headwall, which is mostly running water, has Moderate avalanche danger.
Huntington Ravine has CONSIDERABLE and HIGH avalanche danger. The Escape Hatch, South, O'Dells, and Pinnacle have Considerable avalanche danger. Natural avalanches are possible and human triggered avalanches are probable. Be increasingly cautious in steeper terrain. Central, Yale, Damnation and North Gullies have High avalanche danger. Natural and human triggered avalanches are likely on a variety of aspects and slope angles. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.
We began receiving very light density snow yesterday morning which measured between 2.5 and 3.5% water content, very light! As the day continued densities rose giving us an average of 5.25% for the entire 18cm (7in) we picked up here at Hermit Lake in the past 24 hrs. Due to higher densities crushing the extremely light crystals underneath I believe we actually received more than we calculated this morning due to rapid settlement. Loading began with S winds yesterday and than diminished as winds wrapped through the E overnight. As of 5 am winds moved to the NNE and begin increasing. At around 7am they moved to the N where they currently sit gusting to 112kph (70mph). The wind shift and velocity increase has dramatically begun loading southerly aspects and the cross loading of others. Winds are expected to move to the NW/WNW around noon which will begin effecting westerly aspects more substantially as the day progresses. New loading snow should be battered by the wind creating smaller broken crystals forming denser slabs on the light unconsolidated snow from yesterday morning. This will all be sitting on top of the rain crust from 4 days ago. There is also an enormous temperature gradient of 8.9 degrees C in the upper 20cm of the snowpack which compounds the current problems. Over the past hour blowing snow has filled the air reducing visibility considerably. The forecast is also expecting another 5cm (2in), which won't help stability or visibility.
Mountaineers should be ready for very icy snow slopes under new light density snow. There is a potential for long sliding falls to occur if self-arrest is not achieved quickly. Off trail explorers should certainly have snowshoes; otherwise you probably won't get very far due to the breakable crust under the new snow. Conditions under the new snow is very hard and icy all visitors should be prepared with crampons and an ice axe.
THE LION HEAD SUMMER TRAIL IS NOW CLOSED DUE TO THE AVALANCHE PRONE SLOPES JUST BELOW TREELINE. THE LION HEAD WINTER ROUTE IS OPEN. Mountaineering skills and equipment are required for safe travel on this route.
The John Sherburne Ski Trail is very icy under the new snow so be prepared for occasional hard conditions particularly in waterbars and where wind may scour snow down to the old surface. Expect some rocks, bushes and waterbars.
As always, this advisory is one more tool to help you make your own decisions in avalanche terrain. It should be used along with your own snow stability assessments, knowledge of safe travel techniques, skill in reading mountain weather's effect on the snowpack, and avalanche rescue. To improve these skills take an avalanche course. We have all the avalanche courses offered in and around the Mt. Washington Valley this winter on our website, tuckerman.org.
PLEASE REMEMBER:
*
• Any new precipitation may increase the avalanche danger, this includes wind transported snow.
*
• Obtain the latest weather forecast and review archived avalanche advisories at www.tuckerman.org for snowpack history before heading into the mountains.
*
• For more information, contact the U.S. Forest Service Snow Rangers, the AMC at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center or Hermit Lake Shelters or the HMC Caretaker at Harvard Cabin.
*
• This advisory will expire at midnight.
