Thread: Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop 2011

Announcing the 4th annual USAW event at the Depot in SLC on Nov. 5. Modeled after the International Snow Science Workshop, USAW provides a venue for experienced skiers, sledders, and avalanche professionals to get together, along with those new to the game, to take a closer look at the underbelly of the avalanche dragon. Join us to geek out on snow science, learn from the pros & each other, & reconstruct a few close calls from last season to discuss what can be learned from those experiences. If you attended last year, you know the deal - tell your friends.

Admission is $25.

Please visit our website for more information and to buy your tickets today.
http://utahavalanchecenter.org/utah_...orkshop/042811

Anybody else going to this? I was thinking about coming down for it.

Ordered a ticket with my friend, I'll be there. For 25 bones its a no brainer to buy this

See you there!

Last years was great will be there again.

my wife and I will be there barring work duty.

as long as there's money in my bank account i'll be there.

ticket=purchased

I am going

I'm going. I'll be giving a talk on surface hoar spatial variability in the Chilkat and Takhinsha Mountains near Haines, and how we deal with it from a heli-skiing operator's perspective.

looking forward to it

Originally Posted by ski_faster

Anybody else going to this? I was thinking about coming down for it.

I'll most likely be there... Hopefully they'll teach how to truly ski faster.

Original link didn't seem to work. Pretty sure this is correct:

http://utahavalanchecenter.org/usaw11-5-2011

Last year was great. It's an awesome way to keep up with the latest and to get a better understanding of what's going on in our mountains.

Hope to go this year, but work is crazy and I'm broke. Those two things don't usually coincide, but my luck just sucks these days.

Originally Posted by RTR

I'll most likely be there... Hopefully they'll teach how to truly ski faster.

Original link didn't seem to work. Pretty sure this is correct:

http://utahavalanchecenter.org/usaw11-5-2011

Somethings you just can't teach people.

Lots of maggots going.

Anybody going to the CPD portion?

Agenda:
13:05-13:40 Dirty Little Secrets of the Greatest Snow on Earth- Jim Steenburgh

Global warming, it's ongoing and future impacts on Utah snow, and some of the dirty little secrets of climate change over Utah.

13:45-14:05 Spatial Variability in Steep, Complex Terrain- Zach Guy

More winter recreationists are venturing into steep, avalanche chutes and “extreme” terrain each year. Understanding the slope-scale spatial variability of weak layers and how they relate to terrain is critical for prediction and mitigation of avalanche hazard. Previous studies have had limited success in statistically describing or predicting spatial patterns based on terrain. No previous research has attempted to predict the influence of terrain parameters on spatial variability of weak layers in the complex terrain used in this study.

14:10- 14:45 The Effect of Changing Slope Angle on Extended Column Test Results- Ron Siminhois

Practitioners often assume that weak snowpack layers fracture more easily in steeper terrain. However, recent fracture mechanics research as well as propagation saw testing suggest that increasing slope angle has a small effect on fracture initiation. In this talk we will explore the effect of slope angle on extended column test (ECT) results.

14:45-15:00 Break

15:05-15:25 An Avalanche Accident on the Manti-Skyline- Mark Greenwood, Dustin Butcher, Patrick Grewe

Survivors give a detailed account of an avalanche accident on Horseshoe Mountain.

15:30-15:50 Late Season Close Call on the Pfeifferhorn- Kim Hall/Jewel Lund

A firsthand account describes conditions and group dynamics that lead to a slide for life in the northwest couloir of the Pfeifferhorn.

15:55-16:15 A Selective History of Little Cottonwood Canyon- Jimmy Collinson

A narrative using archived historic photos.

16:20-17:00 The Enemy Within: Human error in avalanche accidents- Ian McCammon

Our understanding of avalanches has changed thru the years, but are we any closer to preventing fatalities?

17:00-18:00 Social at The Blue Goose located in The Depot… woohoo!

Woo, I'll be there with a friend.

I'll be there! i was bummed i missed it the past few years

i'll be there.

I'll be there. Stop by the AAA table for a free copy of The Avalanche Review.

See ya'll there

yeah buddy, ill be there.

does this workshop usually sell out???
i've got my ticket but i have friends that might try and roll the dice and buy tickets at the door

I'm in. See y'all there.

Just got my tick too, see all you beeatches there!

I'm interested to hear Pit Grewe's report on the avey they faced last year...