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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    Umm...WTF happened at Bridger today?

    Seeing lots of photos. Can someone break this down for me wx/snowpack/mitigation-wise? gracias.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    3,173
    I find this bit of data interesting from the armchair. This data is from the lower elevation brackett creek snotel.

    http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/snow/snowplot.cgi?BRCM8

    You can see the first sharp drop of snow water equivalent, meaning water ran down thru the pack, followed by the addition of another 2 inchs of SWE overnight starting as rain then finishing as 20% water content snow. All that and another warm day and you have a textbook recipe for climax wet slabs. Patrol saved lives for how they managed the situation.
    "The skis just popped me up out of the snow and I went screaming down the hill on a high better than any heroin junkie." She Ra

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    west tetons
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    Here's a link to the Youtube explanation from Karl Birkeland and Pete Maleski. Short version is 2 consecutive non-freezing nights, moist pack over moist depth hoar, then 9" of new on top. Sounds classic with water factory, slab, and funny business.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3JkJ...ure=plpp_video

  4. #4
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    Oct 2008
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    NorCal
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    Thanks for linking to that. I didn't hear about this, but just checked out the Gallatain/Bridger avy site and tons of pics. Great work by patrol.

    It is amazing what a couple of days/nights of above freezing temps, PWL, water and new snow can do.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    The Padded Room
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    5,299
    Quote Originally Posted by homemadesalsa View Post
    Here's a link to the Youtube explanation from Karl Birkeland and Pete Maleski. Short version is 2 consecutive non-freezing nights, moist pack over moist depth hoar, then 9" of new on top. Sounds classic with water factory, slab, and funny business.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3JkJ...ure=plpp_video


    link didn't work...for me at least.
    .....Visit my website. .....

    "a yin without a yang"

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
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    PNW
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    3,128

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    The Padded Room
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    pretty cool video feed. I've been watching a few. Big slides.
    .....Visit my website. .....

    "a yin without a yang"

  8. #8
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    Dec 2005
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    was there also natural action inside the ski area?

  9. #9
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    Jan 2008
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    truckee
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    I'm a jong as far as avalanche goes--so I'm wondering how safe it is standing just below one of those big crowns, when there's still snow above. I've seen that in a number of videos. Obviously the people standing there know a whole lot more than I do. Just asking.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    NorCal
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    old goat - good post, I have always kind of wondered that myself. More specifically, I have always wondered what consistutes the difference between (1) dangerous hangfire that dictates not taking a look v. (2) big grown line but still willing to look. Perhaps it is the amount of remaining start zone above the crown? Obvious other issues would be unslid slopes that come into the same runout....

    For the specific question, perhaps CookieMonster, Summit or Homemadesalsa or someone more knowledgeable would chime in. I have thought for the crown investigation question that in many cases the weak layer below the crown has obviously already failed. So skinning below a crown theoretically wouldn't propogate that already-failed weak layer above into the remaining hangfire. Weather or other external factors could obviously change that, but assuming you are looking the same or next day in similar weather conditions, is the thinking that the weak layer is already gone below the crown and you are approaching via bed surface?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    5
    Some pics and vid from Tues and Thurs:

    https://picasaweb.google.com/1074253...lanchesMarch27

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