Advisory from December 23, 2002

Avalanche Conditions:

Our current string of human triggered avalanches continued yesterday. On a northeast facing slope of the Pink Pine Ridge a group of skiers triggered a hard slab avalanche. The slide was about 1’ deep and 75’ wide. Two snowboarders traveling through the Wilson Fork drainage triggered 3 pockets on slopes steeper than 35 degrees. Each slide was about 1’ deep and 25’ wide. There was a remotely triggered avalanche off the northwest side of Davenport Hill in the Sliverfork drainage. And to top things off a group of skiers triggered an avalanche that was 2’ deep and 600’ wind in the Wolverine Circ/Twin Lake Pass area. All of these avalanches occurred on northeast through west aspects that were steeper than about 35 degrees.

So with no recent natural activity and several human triggered avalanches each day, what is the avalanche danger? According to the U.S. danger scale we have a moderate danger of natural avalanches and a high danger for human triggered avalanches. The important thing to remember is not a one word summary of the avalanche conditions, but what is actually happening in the backcountry. It has been five days since the last natural avalanche was reported. But for the past six days there have been multiple reports human triggered avalanches on northwest through easterly slopes steeper than 35 degrees. The key to safety is to use your best safe travel and route finding skills or avoid these areas.

• Wilson Fork- snowboarder triggered 1' deep x 25' wide
• Pink Pine- 1' deep x 75' wide
• Twin Lakes Pass/Wolverine- remote triggered from ridgeline 2' deep x 600' wide x 300' vertical
• Davenport Hill- 2' deep x 150' wide remote triggered from 200' below ridgeline

December 21, 2002

• Little Water Peak (Soucie)- triggered remotely 2'-3' deep x 100' wide
• Tri-Chutes (Gruble)- remote triggered 1'-2' deep x 100' wide