Baker: Sherman Pk Ice Avalanche 7/25/06

[John_Scurlock]

This event was witnessed by a NOLS party that was in the area. Gary Paull and Barb Richey, both with USFS, brought it to my attention and I was able to photograph it this evening. The images can be seen here:

 

http://www.pbase.com/image/64205336

http://www.pbase.com/image/64205337

http://www.pbase.com/image/64205338

 

Avalanches are occasional events in this area, but it seems that ones of this size are on intervals of perhaps years. Another similar one occurred in 1983 and was photographed by Dave Tucker of Bellingham.

 

It isn't certain at this time whether the debris path extends below the terminus of the Boulder glacier. Foot travel on the Boulder glacier might not be advisable until things settle down a bit.

 

Best Wishes,

JS

[olyclimber]

cool photos as usual john.

[philfort]

Amazing...

...caused by deterioration of the rock do you think, or by the hot temps?

[John_Scurlock]

Amazing...

...caused by deterioration of the rock do you think, or by the hot temps?

 

My guess is that it has more to do with the combination of steepness and poor adhesion to the volcanically-tortured loose "rock" that makes up Sherman Pk (Sherman is basically a loose slag heap composed of Baker's most recent eruptive material). Melt-water lubrication was likely a factor, though. You know, virtually the entire E side of Baker lies down in or near Baker Lake as the result of gigantic slides and lahars so in a way this avy is small potatoes. But it is huge by recent standards for sure.

 

Disclaimer: I am not a geologist.

 

When I first got word of this I thought of those that skied it last year, Phil.

[catbirdseat]

John, do you have any photos from before the avalanche for comparison?

[AllYouCanEat]

I skied it a few years ago. Here is a shot looking in the crater and one looking up to the top of sherman. Crazy looking avi. Wow.

 

 

 

Catbirdseat: Here is a shot, and I know John has better ones.

 

Edited July 28, 2006 by AllYouCanEat

[John_Scurlock]

This is from last May --

http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/43881817

[payaso]

Here is a shot of this just last Sunday the 23rd. We were up there but didn't get any closer than 8500ft. Too melted out. Apparently we made a good choice.

 

[John_Scurlock]

Finally got back up there this morning with better light and no wind; seven new images of it posted, starting here: http://www.pbase.com/image/65041888

These include the release zone and runout area.

 

A few other items of interest -- this avalanche did register a small blip on at least some of Baker's seismographs, per a researcher at WWU. The time of the avalanche (by seismograph) was 3:13 pm, which corresponds to the approximate time the NOLS party saw it happen. The 1983 event photographed by Dave T. was probably larger, since that one ran down beyond the Boulder glacier terminus into the upper reaches of Boulder creek. The NOLS group was about a quarter mile from the runout of this one.