Cornices

[mzvarner]

What is the proper way to tell if it is safe to mess with then how do you go about tunneling thru or climbing over it?

[Dane]

I'm no cornice expert. Thoughts? Cornices aren't safe. So you go to the smallest over hanging section to tunnel through. A caution, at the bottom of cornice where the slope and cornice meet can be some really weird and unstable snow. I took a long ride off the bottom of a cornice once when the area just under the cornice collasped as I started to tunnel.

 

Axes work, small, stout shovels are better. Makes the tunnel longer but I like a little less angle for more purchase once inside the tunnel. So I don't dig vertically. Try to get inside the hypothetical fracture line quickly. Just pray it doesn't decide to come off as you are digging.

[mzvarner]

I totally agree they are unsafe,and I would definatelly stay away as much as possible. However, I am sure there will be some times when it is the only way up.

 

Thanks Dane.

 

Any other suggestions.

[hafilax]

Get one of these to take them out from above.

http://www.backcountrybomb.com/

[Dane]

We did sawing a lot to save caps on Patrol. But sawing doesn't work all that great from below

[JoshK]

We did sawing a lot to save caps on Patrol. But sawing doesn't work all that great from below

 

We did sawing a lot to save caps on Patrol. But sawing doesn't work all that great from below

 

I imagine sawing from below would actually be quite effective, just with the nasty side effect of the cornice then crushing you.

 

That backcountrybomb product is probably effective. I was trying (unsucessfully) to chop off a cornice a few months ago and thought it would be nice to have a thin metal cord like the one inside my avy probe. Looks like that is basically what his product is.

 

Also, you may want to cross-post to the freshizone or another BC skiing forum. Though it seems like your question is specific to the problem of approaching cornices from below - which just always sucks no matter what.

[Dane]

Better to ask Colin Haley he seems to have some depth of experience with that kind of nonsense

 

 

 

We used to saw some pretty big ones with gold line while one of us was on top and one below which seemed reasonable...well sorta reasonable anyway. We also use to pack around 30 or 40# of dynamite while on skiis and blow shit up in the dark while it was snowing so hard you couldn't see even if it was light...so reasonable is always relative to the moment. Right now sitting here all of it seems pretty stupid for $7. an hour! Way fun though

[layton]

i've tunneled through a few and it is an awful lead. it takes a long time and you get fully soaked. Put your insulation in your pack and just wear your shell to keep things dry. I would not climb under one in the heat of the day or with recent wind loading/scouring

[G-spotter]

If it's very sloppy and not too steep there's always the cop-out of aiding through it on pickets like was done on one of the Siula Grande routes.

[layton]

i've done that too in AK, not fun either