Special Avalanche Statement - JUNE 7 2010

[512dude]

Special Avalanche Statement

 

 

Significant avalanche danger at higher elevations on the volcanoes, mainly above 7 to 8000 ft

 

Several strong storm systems moving through the region last week produced increased accumulations of new snowfall at higher elevations on the NW volcanoes from Mt Hood northward through Mt Baker and in the Olympics. With water equivalents during this period ranging from an inch to over 3 inches this weather likely produced new snow amounts of 1 to over 3 feet above about the 7 to 8000 ft level, greater at higher elevations and on southeast through northeast exposures where intermittently strong winds produced deeper drifting. These new snow amounts taper quickly below 6 to 7000 ft with only minor amounts of a trace to an inch or so of snow recorded at the 5000 ft level.

 

This weather has resulted in significant unstable snow accumulations at higher elevations on the volcanoes, especially on lee slopes where unstable slabs of 3 to 5 ft or more may have developed over either previous crusts or some wet weak snow layers, depending on elevation and aspect. Most recent information from Mt Rainier indicates that Camp Muir has received about 2 feet of snow, with 3 to 5 ft drifts...especially on east exposures. Although only preliminary information on the recent avalanche accident on Mt Rainier has yet been received, it appears that the avalanche was a human triggered 3 to 6 ft deep hard slab, approximately 1 to 200 yards wide, and running about 1,200 vertical feet. Latest information indicates that the slide caught 11, buring or partially burying 4, one of whom remains unacccounted for at this time and is missing and presumed dead. Other climbing parties in the area were able to recover three of those who were buried or partially buried, two of whom suffered injuries necessitating airlift rescue from the site with the third able to walk out amid minor injuries. This serious incident underscores the fact that the weather not the calendar dictates avalanche danger on higher elevations in any mountainous terrain.

 

[rocketparrotlet]

Thank you for the warning. Please keep updates if possible- my dad and I were planning on climbing Rainier between the 14th and the 22nd, but safety is our primary concern.

 

-Mark