IPAC has issued an avalanche warning

PowderPanda · Dec 20, 2016

Happy Christmas week..
Well, this isn't a surprise to anyone whose been out there digging. IPAC this morning issued an Avalanche Warning for the North Idaho mountains and recommend not going into the backcountry.
If you happen to, stay off open slopes and anything steep. Also, know what is above you!

http://www.idahopanhandleavalanche.org/current-advisory.html

Let's be safe!

Tiny World · Dec 24, 2016

PP..I'm a bit surprised by the Selkirk forecast put out on Friday. We were in the back country out of Schweitzer on Weds. and did an ECT test...We found a weak layer (besides the one at 4") down at 34cm and another at 47cm's. ECT 16 with full propagation with clean shear at 34cm and partial prop at the 47cm level, but clean. Did a shovel shear and had the entire column go to ground as it is sugary facets throughout. We were on a NW slope (330). While it skied ok (definitely wind affected) and was quiet (no Whoopfing) I certainly wouldn't jump into anything with convexities or rock prone areas. Perhaps I'm getting old and conservative (or perhaps being conservative with snow has allowed me to get old -ha), but I would definitely watch out for these layers, because if 34 goes, 47 will probably follow and there is nothing supportive under that. Just one guys opinion and don't want to counter the "professionals"...Do your own due diligence folks...

Brandon · Dec 24, 2016

I agree with TW regarding a sketchy looking pack. Nick and I dug in a couple spots on a north face at 5900' near West Willow yesterday on a 35• slope and had failures at 15cm and 35cm. Below that was nothing but sugary facets (facets near the ground looked really weak!!) Lots of nasty looking windloading going on out there too during yesterday's storm. No whoomphing or cracking observed, but we played it safe and had some good turns.

PowderPanda · Dec 24, 2016

Tiny World said:
PP..I'm a bit surprised by the Selkirk forecast put out on Friday. We were in the back country out of Schweitzer on Weds. and did an ECT test...We found a weak layer (besides the one at 4") down at 34cm and another at 47cm's. ECT 16 with full propagation with clean shear at 34cm and partial prop at the 47cm level, but clean. Did a shovel shear and had the entire column go to ground as it is sugary facets throughout. We were on a NW slope (330). While it skied ok (definitely wind affected) and was quiet (no Whoopfing) I certainly wouldn't jump into anything with convexities or rock prone areas. Perhaps I'm getting old and conservative (or perhaps being conservative with snow has allowed me to get old -ha), but I would definitely watch out for these layers, because if 34 goes, 47 will probably follow and there is nothing supportive under that. Just one guys opinion and don't want to counter the "professionals"...Do your own due diligence folks...

TinyWorld,
That is excellent info. I'll be out tomorrow and I was on the fence about where I wanted to go. I was wondering about the 34 as it went on a Q1 shovel shear for me last Sunday as well, I'm not seeing a lot of consolidation going on. I've been curious to see what the warm up did in the SV.

Brandon, good to see this for the St Joes. Def a time to be conservative.. and I want to be like Tiny World! LoL

Randonick · Dec 24, 2016

Brandon said:
I agree with TW regarding a sketchy looking pack. Nick and I dug in a couple spots on a north face at 5900' near West Willow yesterday on a 35• slope and had failures at 15cm and 35cm. Below that was nothing but sugary facets (facets near the ground looked really weak!!) Lots of nasty looking windloading going on out there too during yesterday's storm. No whoomphing or cracking observed, but we played it safe and had some good turns.

Spot on, the only thing I would add is in the words of the (in)famous forecaster: "If she's gonna rip, she'll rip to the ground!"

Skibumhiggins · Dec 26, 2016

I think we have a interesting snowpack this year and by reading posts on this site, talking to people and looking at the snow it seems like reading the terrain and constant diligence are key to survival right now. We haven't seen much more than R1/D1 Avalanche activity with explosives in the resort but that is different than what's in the backcountry. It looks like the Canadians are seeing the same thing. Great post and info tiny world!

Tiny World · Dec 26, 2016

As an update, things seemed to have settled a bit here in the Selkirks. Christmas eve skiing we had a 1/8" freezing rain/fog? crust that formed with a few inches on top. Still skied good. Yesterday (Christmas) we found the crust was gone and the skiing was great. The wind layer form earlier in the week seems to be doing some bridging beneath. The snow is still amazingly unconsolidated. While breaking trail you'll occasionally just drop to knee deep ski penetration. No whoompfing. Didn't dig, just skied. I'm still being cautious on bigger slopes and convexities. Avoiding any rock band areas...

Skibumhiggins · Dec 30, 2016

Just an update, I dug on a NW aspect in the Schweitzer backcountry yesterday and things seem to be settling out. The layer of concern is about 60cm down and broke on a CTM15 but did not propagate with a ECT. I did a PST and it initiated a collapse at 44/100 but did not propogate to the end. I would still be cautious about the terrain you choose and watch out for wind slabs but it didn't look like the weak layer was super reactive yet. On the same note the kootenay boundary reported three skier triggered avalanches on the same layer so keep that in the back of your mind.

k.p0w · Dec 30, 2016

Two small human triggered slab avalanches happened on West Willow Peak on Wednesday at approximately 6000 feet on an East aspect. Our most recent advisory says Moderate.... I believe you should exercise more caution than the advisory might lead you to believe.

k.p0w · Dec 30, 2016

Randonick said:
Spot on, the only thing I would add is in the words of the (in)famous forecaster: "If she's gonna rip, she'll rip to the ground!"

Nick, I'm so happy you remembered this quote

wordbird · Dec 30, 2016

k.p0w said:
Two small human triggered slab avalanches happened on West Willow Peak on Wednesday at approximately 6000 feet on an East aspect. Our most recent advisory says Moderate.... I believe you should exercise more caution than the advisory might lead you to believe.

I've just been re-reading Bruce Tremper's book, and there's a chapter describing risk and it goes something like this(paraphrased): Large plurality of avalanche accidents occur during considerable danger if there is a forecast for the area, where applciable(over 40% I believe). Moderate doesn't mean safe, still another 10 or 20% occur during that rating. You still have to observe signs of instability and dig pits on representative slopes to confirm the presumed stability on any avi-prone slope(>30) during moderate danger.

Mergs · Dec 31, 2016

k.p0w said:
Two small human triggered slab avalanches happened on West Willow Peak on Wednesday at approximately 6000 feet on an East aspect. Our most recent advisory says Moderate.... I believe you should exercise more caution than the advisory might lead you to believe.

I observed the same and agree. +1