[TR] Dragontail - Triple Couloirs - 3/7/2008

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Yep, taking snowshoes. I am just worried about slides. I thought that 35 degree slopes were safe. What's the scoop on this? Not much of a snow traveler but need to get out - can only walk now, arms are shot. So any beta/avy considerations are appreciated.

Thanks again!

 

a 35 degree slope is pretty close to peak human-triggered avy terrain.

[Bug]

The highest level of slab avalanche hazard occurs between 35 and 40 degrees. Traveling in areas with an inclination less than 25 degrees will greatly reduce the risk of triggering a slide.

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

The highest level of slab avalanche hazard occurs between 35 and 40 degrees. Traveling in areas with an inclination less than 25 degrees will greatly reduce the risk of triggering a slide.

I don't think there is a way up the Colchuck glacier or Aasgard that keeps you on 25 or less.

[Bug]

Nope. Just cut and pasted pertinent text.

Google "avalanche slope" and the site I went to is the second or third down.

[JayB]

I've been camped at the cusp of the Morraine during a warm-up in April and watched every-single-aspect on Dragontail and the surrounding peaks release mutiple times, starting about an hour of sunhit. Quite a show. Nothing cut loose on the Colchuck glacier or on the Colcjuck couloirs that weekend, since they seemed to be in the shade in the afternoon, but YMMV.

 

This was in late April, and there'd been a few inches of new snow a few days before, but I suspect the slopes had already cut loose a few times during previous melt-freeze cycles. If this is the first major thaw, then I suspect that the ampitheather will sound like O'Hare on the day before Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

 

[tvashtarkatena]

Hey Rafael,

 

We were up skiing near Silver (Snoqualmie) today and everything sunlit was falling apart. Slides everywhere. THe cornices are going bigtime. Tomorrow will be even warmer: more slides.

 

The good news is that the sunlit snowpack is consolidating rapidly, BUT the Colchuk is colder and higher and doesn't get as much sun, so it will likely remain loaded longer. You may want to cruise up to Colchuk and check it out with some caution after seeing what the avi forecast has to say.