notable slide - Cerise Creek winter approach route

[LeeLau]

Notable enough to post here as not many check Slide Zone - MCR http://informalex.org/mharc/html/MCR.../msg00004.html

reposted from MCR Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2008 23:53:29 -0800
From: Public Mountain Conditions Report <mcr@informalex.org>
Subject: [MCR] Anniversary Glacier Avalanche
To: <mcr@informalex.org>
Message-ID: <001201c85102$6860fbf0$6501a8c0@TOSHIBA2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I was skiing in the Cerise Creek drainage this weekend and observed a
large natural avalanche worth noting. The East ridge of Matier above the
Anniversary Glacier has avalanched and has run the full length of the
valley below the glacier to end approximately 500 meters beyond the toe
of the moraines. Debris has crossed Cerise Creek and removed a large
swath of the 2nd generation trees on the east side of the creek, then
turned the corner and ran down Cerise creek for another 100 meters. At
least 300-400 meters of the standard approach to Keith's Hut is under 1
to 3+ meters of debris, including about a 200 meter section of Cerise
Creek. Limited observations of the fracture line show it right at ridge
top and it appears to be 3-4 meters in depth, possibly triggered by
cornice failure during the recent high winds. There also appears to be a
significant fracture line and avalanche on the moraine/boulder slopes
underneath Joffre, most likely triggered by the impact of the first
avalanche off of the East Ridge of Matier. I could not see the middle
steeper section of the Anniversary to see if it had slid as well.

I was in the parking lot at 0930 on Saturday Jan. 5th and heard a large
event, but with poor visibility could not be sure if it was a large wind
gust or an avalanche. When we reached the debris at noon there were a
large amount of branches on the snow surface with little snow cover
despite heavy snowfall, so I am fairly certain it ran at around 0930
that morning. Luckily there were no people on the approach at the time,
though it is a very sobering sight to see such a commonly traveled route
under so much debris. A good reminder to always question your choice of
route, and what you are exposed to at that time, regardless of how
"common" the route is.

Brian Jones
Mountain Guide
www.themountainschool.com

picture of slidepath - top part of yellow line is ski descent route from slopes above hut. bottom part of yellow line is winter approach route

[sock_monkey]

Thanks for posting, Lee.

[forest]

Thanks for putting that up Lee. This was a big one that crossed what is usually thought of as a pretty safe approach. Here's another view of the area. I drew in an estimate of the start and end of the slide were, not my pic.



bigger pic:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...6526256&size=o

[LeeLau]

Here's the approach to Keiths hut. The climbers ahead in this shot would have been buried by the slide which would have run 100m past them down the creek

[PulverSchwein]

The climbers ahead in this shot would have been buried by the slide which would have run 100m past them down the creek

yikes

[LeeLau]

bump for clownshoes

[TrueNorth]

Wow, 3-4m fracture line, debris 500m beyond the end of the moraine... that's a scary one.

I've skied that route to Keith's hut many times and never imagined a slide going that far!

Usually at this time of year I'm wishing I was ski touring in BC rather than behind a desk in Ontario, but with all the avalanche reports (especially the inbounds ones), for once I'm glad to be out of the mountains...

[LeeLau]

http://informalex.org/mharc/html/MCR.../msg00019.html

[Clownshoe]

that's pretty freakin big! Thanks for the photos Lee

[Atrain505]

Wow. When I was on that route to Keith's I felt completely safe. Definetly a good reminder.