danhelmstadter

Clavote - no problem, glad I can help; I hope your ventures up the mountain are Successful! cheers Date: 2008/02/10 Observer: Dan Helmstadter Forecast Zone: Black Butte Location: NW Forecasted Danger Level: Moderate Observed Danger Level: Low Route: NW Black Butte, from 5500 Weather: Thin cloud cover , calm wind, air temperature 40dg f. Avalanche Activity: numerous 3-4 day OLD WL-N-D1-R1 with one R2 observed NW through N aspects; nothing new Cracking: No Collapsing: No Wind Effect: No Snow Surface: Melt Freeze crust, thin at lower elevations, thickening higher. Crust is also thicker on snow slopes affected by old WL slides. Surface of crust melted to corn in some areas, and close to it in many other areas. Ski penetration on slide affected slopes is ~3cm and foot penetration is 12cm. In areas not affected by old WL slides, ski penetration is 8cm (wet grains) foot penetration is ~25cm. Riding Conditions: rippa Snowpack: Good stability Comments: Snowpack on NW low elevation aspects continues to stabilize, today CT and ST’s at same elevation and aspect as yesterdays – revealed increasing stability, with CT…12…Q3…@-80cm on faceting melt freeze/rain crust, and a STN. Surface snow grains continue to grow and mature with warm days and cool nights, today a thin but sun-penetrable cloud layer helped to “trap” and increase solar radiation input into the snowpack, which will no doubt result in increased m/f metamorphosis, and a thicker crust by tomorrow – if tonight’s forecasted temperatures prove true. Suspect slab interface with crust continues to strengthen, while surface M/F crust strengthens - which should mean increasingly low avalanche danger with the exception of very warm mid-late afternoon daytime temperatures. Paste snowpit graphics (www.snowpilot.org) or photos here Snow Pit Data: Aspect- NW Slope Angle 40dg Pit depth: 90 CM foot penetration around pit: 12cm Ski penetration around pit: 3 cm. Time: ~2:30pm Date: 2/10/08 Air temperature 3’ above surface: 40dg f Elevation: ~5400’ Temp Grain type Grain size Hardness Surface: 29dg fn. Frozen M/F crust N/A K to -10cm -20 22dg fn. rounds .1-.5mm P -40 21 rounds .1-.5mm P -53 rounds .1-.5mm K-53cm-57cm -60 22 rounds .1-.5mm P -79 CT…12…Q3…@-80cm on 1mm FC and STN -80 23 Crust 1-2 mm K -90 23 rounds .5-1mm P

Date: 2008/02/09 Observer: Dan Helmstadter Forecast Zone: Black Butte Location: NW Forecasted Danger Level: Moderate Observed Danger Level: Low (moderate possible with sufficient warming, but temp forecast does not suggest drastically warming temps. In the next few days. Route: NW Black Butte, from 5500 2x laps Weather: Mostly sunny, calm wind, air temperature 41dg f. Avalanche Activity: numerous OLD WL-N-D1-R1 with one R2 observed NW through N aspects Cracking: No Collapsing: No Wind Effect: No Snow Surface: Melt Freeze crust, thin at lower elevations, thickening higher. Crust is also thicker on snowslopes affected by old WL slides. Surface of crust melted to corn in some areas, and close to it in many other areas Riding Conditions: “almost-corn” (and felt like corn on skis, but in reality is not quite there yet) after sufficient warming/sun ~ after 1pm above 4300’, wet glop below. Very top 50’ did not warm enough for corn – so it was a supportable crust. Old WL slides R1/R2 of a few days ago has also helped to set up the “almost-corn” by compacting the surface snow somewhat, areas not affected by wet slides were mostly deep glop with a foot pen. Of 15cm. Snowpack: Good stability Comments: Snow should be true corn by the day after tomorrow on NW aspects if current weather/temperature regime continues. Thawing of snow is not complete until ~3:00pm and starts to resolidify at ~4:30. Today I dug my pit on a NW facing slope @ 5400’. I dug to the ground, and found it at -180cm. No depth hoar! What a difference from Colorado! There was approximately 10cm of 1mm pencil facets just above ground. These facets were partially necking. The only crust within the snowpack was ~4cm thick and found @ -80cm. This crust hosted a 2cm layer of 1MM FC crystals on its surface tests produced CT…12…Q2…@-80cm on 1mm FC and STH…Q2…@-80 on 1mm FC The thickness and strength of this slab along with the developing surface crust should make it very hard to trigger. However yesterdays pit dug on same aspect about 1000’ feet lower proved that the thickness of this slab is spatially variable. Paste snowpit graphics (www.snowpilot.org) or photos here Snow Pit Data: Aspect- NW Slope Angle 39dg Pit depth: 180 CM foot penetration around pit: 12 cm. Time: ~2:30pm Date: 2/9/08 Air temperature 3’ above surface: 42dg f Elevation: ~5400’ Temp Grain type Grain size Hardness Surface: 25dg fn. Frozen M/F crust N/A K to -9cm -20 21dg fn. rounds 1mm P -40 20 rounds 1mm P -60 20 rounds 1mm P -79 CT…12…Q2…@-80cm on 1mm FC and STH…Q2…@-80 on 1mm FC -80 21 Crust 2 mm K -100 21 rounds .5mm-1mm K -120 23 rounds .5mm-1mm K -140 24 rounds .5mm-1mm K -160 25 slightly faceted rounds 1mm-2mm P -180 26 faceted rounds 1mm-2mm P Ground  

Date: 2008/02/08 Observer: Dan Helmstadter Forecast Zone: Black Butte Location: WNW Forecasted Danger Level: High Observed Danger Level: Low mornings, Moderate to considerable later in afternoons with sufficient warming Route: NNW aspect @ 4500’ Weather: Mostly sunny, calm wind, air temperature 35dg f. Avalanche Activity: numerous old WL-N-D1-R1 with one R2 observed NW through N aspects Cracking: No Collapsing: No Wind Effect: No Snow Surface: Wet grains – to crust in shaded areas Riding Conditions: good, a little crusty, and wet Snowpack: Warm temps affect snowpack, underlying weak layer @ -35cm on WNW aspect sitting on top of old knife crusts Comments: I got up on Black Butte a little later than I did yesterday, temps were 10 degrees cooler today, but the snow continues to become increasingly spring like. Thin temperature crust on top of wet grains were the surface conditions today @430pm on WNW aspects from 4k to 4.5k I dug my test pit in a somewhat more tree sheltered higher elevation area than I did yesterday, today, I found a 35cm slab of 1F-2F sitting on top of old knife crusts which compose the base of the snowpack. CT...15…q2 @-35cm on FG 1MM STH q2 @ -35CM on FG 1MM This will be a concern in the afternoons, upper slab is of greatly varied thickness, as difference from today’s and yesterdays observations unveiled, which is why I would say the danger might rise to considerable in the afternoons with sufficient warming, also large triggers may be necessary to trigger slab i.e. - snow machines, large sluffs, jumps… Paste snowpit graphics (www.snowpilot.org) or photos here Snow Pit Data: Aspect- WNW Slope Angle 36dg Pit depth: 60 CM foot penetration around pit: 28 cm. Time: ~4:30pm Date: 2/8/08 Air temperature 3’ above surface: 35dg f Elevation: ~4500’ Temp Grain type Grain size Hardness Surface: 29dg fn. Wet grains 1mm- 2mm Fist to -6cm -20 25dg fn. rounds .5mm 1 F CT...15…q2 @-35cm on FG 1MM STH q2 @ -35CM on FG 1MM -35 Crust Crust -40 22 Crust clustered individual knife Grains 1mm-2mm -60 18 “ “ “ “ “ “ “

Date: 2008/02/07 Observer: Dan Helmstadter Forecast Zone: Black Butte Location: NW Forecasted Danger Level: High Observed Danger Level: Low mornings, Moderate later Route: NW aspect @ 4300’ Weather: Mostly sunny, calm wind, air temperature 45dg f. Avalanche Activity: NUMEROUS WL-N-D1-R1 with one R2 observed NW through N aspects Cracking: No Collapsing: No Wind Effect: No Snow Surface: Wet grains, Glop Riding Conditions: Gooie good Snowpack: Warm temps affect snowpack, underlying weak layer @ -33cm on NW aspect Comments: Temperatures have warmed substantially, warming the top 10cm of snowpack to wet grains.(at low elevations) All of the NW through N chutes/snowfields shiited with WL-N-D1-R1 with one R2 lanches, so I stopped traversing upslope to the N @ ~4300’ and dug pit, found 60cm snow well bonded to hard rain/mf crust below, but upon Colum tests - I found a weak layer of facets amid the 2finger snow, which both the shear and compression tests confirmed at -33cm. The compression test found the layer with a moderate rating, and the shear test found it with a hard rating -- both with a q2 shear quality. This was on a 37dg test slope, with sintering dendrites and the wet surface grains as mentioned above. And sintering dendrites and rounds below to the crust. It should be noted that these facets also exhibited substantial necking, and the facets themselves where small…I would be worried about sluffing while skiing – the skier triggered sluffs could very well become big enough (during the afternoons) to trigger a slab via the -33cm facet layer. Interesting that yesterday I found no such layer on a slightly northerly aspect, which might suggest that the previous wind event was more out of the north – compressing or destroying any facets on the N. aspects/ while the more westerly aspects might be exposed to facet destroying solar rays- leaving the NW aspects to the peril of facet formation for that particular time period. This situation is very time sensitive, being safe in the AM and growing perilous in the afternoon – for these NW low elevation aspects… Paste snowpit graphics (www.snowpilot.org) or photos here Snow Pit Data: Aspect- NW Slope Angle 37dg Pit depth: 80 CM foot penetration around pit: 38cm. Time: ~3:00pm Date: 2/7/08 Air temperature 3’ above surface: 45dg f Elevation: ~4300’ Temp Grain type Grain size Hardness Surface: 29dg fn. Wet grains 1mm- 2mm Fist to -12cm -20 21dg fn. sintering dendrites-rounds .2mm-2mm 2 fingers -40 19 sintering dendrites-rounds .2mm-2mm 2 fingers -60 18 rain or melt freeze crust .2mm-alone pencil “ “ “ “ knife Multiple layers of R/MF crust with varying cohesion knife -80 18 “ “ “ “ .2mm-alone pencil

Good skiing down here in Cali, many of the access roads remain unplowed, but still plenty of steep untracked powder to be found. Stability on SW,WNW,NNW aspects below treeline have had low danger the last few days (inluded some obs below - sorry couldn't paste without butchering, and pics are of shitty quality due to disposables, and pathetic photography skills) 2008/02/06 Observer: Dan Helmstadter Forecast Zone: Black Butte Location: NNW Forecasted Danger Level: High Observed Danger Level: Low Route: NNW aspect @ 5400’ Weather: Mostly sunny, calm wind, air temperature 30dg f. Avalanche Activity: None observed Cracking: No Collapsing: No Wind Effect: very little, very isolated areas of minor wind crust Snow Surface: Heavy Powder Riding Conditions: very good Snowpack: Very stable snow currently exists on the NNW aspect of Black Butte Comments: Layering within snowpack is very similar to the WNW aspect on Black Butte, which I checked yesterday. (crusts are a little thicker) The tests compression column test, and the shear column tests today produced no failures even with excessive force. An improvement from yesterday. That weak layer I found at -35cm yesterday seemed to have stabilized today, or id could be an aspect sensitive issue – being weaker on the WNW aspects. The 8cm of surface snow is lighter density, and more porous than the underlying snow, which could be an issue if we get sufficient loading out of this next storm cycle. I could not find any layers of facets, even near the crusts, however I did notice that many of the deeper crystals had characteristics of faceting (some angular qualities) while they also had – and much more prevalent – rounded characteristics. And this mixed crystal snow was very cohesive, and strong. The deep snow is also very dense, not very porous (air spaces between crystals) a big difference from Colorado. Paste snowpit graphics (www.snowpilot.org) or photos here Snow Pit Data: Aspect- NNW Slope Angle 35dg Pit depth: 1.4 meters foot penetration around pit: 30cm. Time: ~3:00pm Date: 2/6/08 Air temperature 3’ above surface: 30dg f Elevation: ~5200’ Temp Grain type Grain size Hardness S.: 28dg fn. + (sintering dendrites) 2mm Fist to -8cm -20 20dg fn. +(less pourous sintering 2mm/1mm 2 fingers dendrites and / ) -40 21 slightly faceted rounds 1mm 1 finger 5 cm Knife hard melt/freeze/raincrust @ -58 cm -60 21 rounds and / .5 – 1mm 1 finger -80 22 / sintering well .5 - 1mm 1 finger -100 22 slightly faceted rounds .2 - .7mm pencil 6 cm knife hard melt/freeze/raincrust @ -105 cm -120 23 slightly faceted rounds .2 - .8mm pencil -140 23 slightly faceted rounds .2 - .8mm knife Date: 2008/02/05 Observer: Dan Helmstadter Forecast Zone: Black Butte Location: WNW aspect skied from top (5500’) and dug a pit at 5200’ on the same WNW aspect. Forecasted Danger Level: High Observed Danger Level: Moderate Route: WNW flank of Black Butte, from (5500’) Weather: variably cloudy, calm to light wind from SE, ambient air temperature ~38dg f @ 5200’ Avalanche Activity: recent point release on low elevation L-N-D1-R1 on WNW aspect Cracking: No Collapsing: No Wind Effect: yes, especially in unprotected areas Snow Surface: Heavy powder to small areas of wind affected snow. Riding Conditions: sick Snowpack: Several layers of concern, however tests yielded stable results, I would imagine lower danger in the morning, followed by moderate once the sun has heated it up. A slab might be possible with a large trigger. Comments: Defenetly a little different snowpack than yesterday. First of all, the surface was defiantly slabby in areas, a couple of inches of one finger penetration over a foot or so of three fingers in many areas. A failure from a compression test, with a hard rating (heavy hits with full arm) failed at -30cm on some snow which did not appear well sintered with a q3 shear rating. The next issue is the layering and crusts which exist within the snowpack. @ -43 cm from surface was an old frozen rain crust layer averaging about 3cm thick, some near crust faceting was noticed immediately under crust. The next rain or melt freeze crust is located at ~ -80cm This deeper snowpack seemed generally stable, although I did get a failure at -73cm on a q2 shear plane with a hard rating (strenuous pulling) from a shear test. I think mostly stable conditions exist, however hitting just the right spot, or takeing a big air, snowmobile etc… might be able to trigger something on that -35cm depth. Paste snowpit graphics (www.snowpilot.org) or photos here Snow Pit Data: Aspect- WNW Slope Angle 32dg Pit depth: 120 CM foot penetration around pit: 25cm. Time: ~3:30pm Date: 2/5/08 Air temperature 3’ above surface: 38dg f Elevation: ~5200’ Temp Grain type Grain size Hardness Surface: 21 fn. / 2mm 1finger -20 20 f. / 2mm/1mm 3 fingers -40 21 / 1mm pencil -43 Rain or mf crust at -43 1mm/2mm knife -60 22 / 1mm pencil -80 23 Rain or mf crust at -80 1mm/2mm knife -100 23 rounds .5 but clustered to 3mm knife -120 23 rounds .5 but clustered to 3mm knife Date: 02/04/2008 Observer: Dan Helmstadter Forecast Zone: Shasta Location: sw aspect peak 6873 near Mcbride c.g. Forecasted Danger Level: High Observed Danger Level: Low Route: SW aspect off of peak 6873 (next to Cascade gulch & Mcbride Springs Weather: Mostly cloudy, light wind from west, ambient air temperature ~15dg f @ 6700’ Avalanche Activity: None observed Cracking: No Collapsing: No Wind Effect: Yes in open areas, and especially on north faceing aspects which were scoured hard on nw faceing slope descending to cascade gulch Snow Surface: Powder Riding Conditions: Excellent powder Snowpack: Stable snow existed on below treeline SW aspect of peak 6873 Comments: I am surprised how stable the snow is, and how different and safe it is relative to the continental snowpack of Colorado and Wyoming that I am used to. only 5dg temprature gradient in 2m , no noticeable weak layers. New snow load is bonding very well, fragmented dendrintes are rounding and sintering nicely. Only obvious crust found in pit was a raincrust buried 2 meters, with good stability, and little faceting affect near crust. I would say that low danger avalanche conditions exist, on the SW aspect which I skied. Obvious wind affect from storm event must have loaded certain aspects heavily. Both Shear test and compression test found very little instability, with a shear test failing at -40cm with a Q2 shear plane, with (strenuous effort) very good score.. Paste snowpit graphics (www.snowpilot.org) or photos here Snow Pit Data: Aspect- SW Slope Angle 42dg Pit depth: 2 meters foot penetration around pit: wasit deep. Time: ~3:45pm Date: 2/4/08 Air temperature 3’ above surface: 15dg f Elevation: ~6700’ Temp Grain type Grain size Hardness Surface: 19 fn. + / 2mm Fist to -15cm -20 16 f. + / 2mm/1mm 2 fingers -40 16 / 1mm 2 f q2 shear test very good -60 17 / 1mm 2f -80 17 / 1mm 1f -100 18 / 1mm 1f -120 18 / rounds 1mm pencil -140 19 rounds 1mm pencil -160 19 rounds 1mm pencil -180 20 rain or mf crust rounded 1mm pencil -200 21 rounds 1mm knife [

absolutely sick powder on black butte today, no stop steep fall line skiing - just in time before the yellow winter sun set behind of the shadowy veil of the clouded siskiyous - black butte was in a sun hole the whole afternoon! - with 6"/1' of fresh unconsolidated powder... skinned in, then booted up titties snow, until it got above the knees halfway up, threw on the skins again - much less masochistic than yesterdays chest deep shenanigans. new snow has bonded very well, and the crust from the rains of the 27 has thickened despite the insolating blanket over it. sandwiched weak layer now at ~ -2.5' is biggest concern. roads to bunny flat, and castle lake remain closed since the 26.

black butte was sick today -- ego pow on top of edgeable crust, with the rare area of exposed rain crust. skiied the ne face again, mostly stable snow, with a little concern of a sandwiched weak layer about -35cm from surface, compression tests yielded moderate to poor stability although the shear plane was to dirty for anything to move... no whumps or cracks either. trail breaking was difficult with mostly knee deep snow, and areas of waist deep, along with the occasional “bottomless” pit... up high on shasta it is likely that insidious windslabs lay in patient repose waiting for the brave.

poked around at a ne aspect on the base (~4k)of black butte (consistant 35-45dg 2000' cinder cone) today, found 2+' of dangerously new wet snow, what was the bulletproof old surface of last week, is now a barely discernable crust layer. wind transport out of sw at ~6k shasta looked like a furocious beast, through the occasional cloud break -- way too windy to be enjoyable... hope they keep up with the plowing this time...

that e.f. of Foley is a cool looking line

made it up to about 10k last night, winds turned me around, and a big lent set up.. pretty good ski down under the moon, snow was variable.

-- booted/skinned a few laps up on the south hill of the resort today, a few inches of fluff on top of crust(s) bunny flat road is still closed, apparently opening soon. next storm is supposed to come in cold with light precip, and se winds, might load avi gulch "just right".

anyone been to Mark Twight's gym Jones?

got some turns up on NNE black butte today, mostly bulletproof, although Id imagine corn on s.f. aspects. road to bunny flat is not yet plowed...

I beleive 21 pines is what they call the turn around or campground where the teanaway road is currently closed. I skiied up to Beverly campground, than yoyoed a short canyon slope near the area. I got to go back when better conditions exist, Earl peak, looks rad.

nice pics, i skiied a little up there yesterday, starting from 21pines, shitty snow for sure. nice cheny pic, I remmember ~7years ago about this time of year, I was postholeing around (with a rifle of all things) on shadow mtn outside of jackson, and near the top of the "mtn." was a huge fenced off area, with barb wire, hummers, sattilite dish, and military personel, apparently there for security of the tender vice president(who vacations there)- like he needs it, the man is deadly with a shotgun. im pretty sure Harrison ford kicked his ass there at a local bar, at least that is what the regular patrons told me.

I was at 2nd ascent yesterday, and while peruseing the book section I came across a book which i belive is called "the avalanceh handbook", which had excellant info covering many "intricies" I reccomend it, and will be saveing for a copy myself.

thanks for the tips, I'm just trying to pry into the minds of you madmen, In an attempt to educamte myself about the intricacies of this maritime s.p. so I don't miss out on any steep pow... self preservation is priority though, and unfortanatly i lack jeti skills.

still not feeling "solid" about the snowpack round here. Is it "safe to say" that if you give the snowpack 2-3 days after a dump of say 2' with little wind transportation, conditions would be "bomber"???? We don't use words such as "solid, safe to say, or bomber" in colorado, but I am always interested in expanding my vocabulary, and of course my winter ski options as well. * this is a general question, i know certain factors such as faceting or slick bed-surface would prolong stabalazation. I am aware the NWAC is up and running.

i skiied the pearly gates from summit, with a climb/downclimb of crux, also skiied lower old chute on the 23. Edumactor- I think i saw ur tent on the col, my original plan that day was to top down the Leuthold, kind of glad i didn't sounds spooky over there, there were apparently gusts to 70/80 on the summit thursday night from the ne, keep on learnen em folks Edumactor, i reckon i needin of some learnen lessons myself, specially from an edumacted feller like urself.

I've heard some talk about folks climbing around on the steeps. this is my first winter in the PNW haveing come from colorado... The snowpack is quite differant there. Heading out on steeps after such a storm would be boarderline suicidal. Apparently there has not been a whole lot of wind associated with this syestem. but significant accumluation, apparently it came in warm and left cold, winds mostly from the sw. Since there are no advisorys posted yet, id appriciate any insight, and or observations. -thanks

where would one start to access nf routes on Adams in the winter? anyone know ~distances etc... ?

anyone know when the carbon river road will re-open?

I was surprised yesterday when things cleared in the afternoon, i hightalied it out of gcamp without anykind of weather info banking on somekind of miraculous and unpredicted high pressure, some kind of weather came through last night in h.r. ,, so i shyed off, but looking out the window of the pub, it looks clear now...

thanks, I just saw the video from late july.. I wonder if the Mazama could be in? conditions looked incredibly dry(compared to volcaones up north) for late july in that video though, and thats north faceing! -probally out for skiing

sun is favoreing Mt. Adams for the weekend according to the forecasters. Anyone know if there might currently be a skiable line down the Adams glacier? or any other snow beta on the hill? -thanks