22 Blue - Looking ahead to the New (aka Fuck Summer (aka Tahoe Thread))

[SDW]

Did I just read that no one reports to the avalanche forecast because of "owning the info " and " being sued?" No wonder you're still Stuck in the avalanche Bulletin 80s. Yikes. The slf in Switzerland has dozends of stations, patrol at all of the resorts and random people reporting every flake and Observation there possibly is....
No wonder the Level is not on point over the pond.

Friends who are local patrollers say they do communicate with SAC, but it's not a morning priority and their information is not for the public.

Europe's piste/off-piste treatment of avalanches is very different than in the US. In Europe, the avalanche forecast might be intended for off-piste, but in the US they're strictly for out-of-bounds. In-bounds but off-piste (ski patrol) is not the same as out-of-bounds (avalanche forecast).

[powdork]

There is no way for us to know what you just read. But that does not happen here in Tahoe as far as I know. And yes we have all those things. And no we are not stuck in the 80s.

[powdork]

I'm not sure how this is any different/better than what we have
https://www.slf.ch/en/avalanche-bull...valanchedanger

[Robojerry]

Friends who are local patrollers say they do communicate with SAC, but it's not a morning priority and their information is not for the public.

Europe's piste/off-piste treatment of avalanches is very different than in the US. In Europe, the avalanche forecast might be intended for off-piste, but in the US they're strictly for out-of-bounds. In-bounds but off-piste (ski patrol) is not the same as out-of-bounds (avalanche forecast).

I’m telling you that the two resorts on the north side of the lake that have the most avalanche information to share, do not actively communicate observations with SAC.

[powdork]

I’m telling you that the two resorts on the north side of the lake that have the most avalanche information to share, do not actively communicate observations with SAC.

Yes but do they have a policy of "Nobody talk to SAC"? Would they communicate if they found something super touchy and not at all what they expected? Do the forecasters have any friends on patrol that they may talk to?

[4matic]

Lineup on 6. They earned it.

[Eastern Sierra Skier]

My kid is out at Rose while Dad lies wounded on the couch. I paid for that pass you little @&$@! Just kidding, go Jr!

[Wobby]

can someone who makes it up to Palisades in the next couple days get a picture of tram face? it looked stacked on the webcam view & I'm curious to see so that I can armchair ski it

[subtle plague]

Friends who are local patrollers say they do communicate with SAC, but it's not a morning priority and their information is not for the public.

Europe's piste/off-piste treatment of avalanches is very different than in the US. In Europe, the avalanche forecast might be intended for off-piste, but in the US they're strictly for out-of-bounds. In-bounds but off-piste (ski patrol) is not the same as out-of-bounds (avalanche forecast).

Ahm. Europe avie forecast is always for the bc.

But as everything past the groomers is out of bounds here, the patrol bombs a lot of terrain not to be skied, but to make groomers safe. So they have a lot of Info.
You can ski anything you want any time if the lifts are open.

I've only witnessed avie forecast (two dude digging a pit at one of the most travelled routes) in the US at turnagain pass and was pretty sure my personal Assessment was as good or better than the local forecast. Now I begin to understand why. I'd never dream of making up my own danger level here.

[lepistoir]

This. The point I was making is that their warning came well before the danger increased. The observations have always been the most important part of the webpage, and that has become even more true on the last few years. Oh, well--further evidence that society is just catering to the lowest common denominator.

I'd write a whole essay like Lepistoir (who has been in Colorado for 2 weeks anyway, not out in the current snow most days like those of us who are complaining) but I'm packing to go skiing. /snark

If you think I need to be digging in the snow to criticize your rating of the SAC rating, then you missed my point entirely and I wasted a lot of words. You are also showing that the rating gets very subjective on who makes the obs and where they go, and especially when. I think you can MMQB SAC all you want but you should try your hand at forecasting and see how you stack up.

One last thing about the lowest common denominator: it is low and nobuddy is saying you need to conform to it. The danger scale is to reach those people who have no skill in making their own assessments and that's always going to be the case for any rating system. So let them forecast and keep making your own calls, using them as a data point (unless you want to put your money where your mouth is and do your own forecast).

Now, who wants to talk about how blue runs aren't really blue runs and it's making all the skiers stop paying attention to the rating?

[powdork]

Ahm. Europe avie forecast is always for the bc.

But as everything past the groomers is out of bounds here, the patrol bombs a lot of terrain not to be skied, but to make groomers safe. So they have a lot of Info.
You can ski anything you want any time if the lifts are open.

I've only witnessed avie forecast (two dude digging a pit at one of the most travelled routes) in the US at turnagain pass and was pretty sure my personal Assessment was as good or better than the local forecast. Now I begin to understand why. I'd never dream of making up my own danger level here.

Is it late in Europe cause you seem drunk. Judging the entire North American avalanche system based on one forecast you saw in bum fucking egypt. There are numerous avalanche centers throughout the US and Canada. But thats just because we have WAY more mountains than Europe

[powdork]

I've been talking on the phone with a buddy stuck in town on 50. In the past hour he has gone 1 city block. traffic is backed up (stopped) from the chain control on Echo Summit to Sand Harbor (28 miles). Meanwhile, google maps shows 50 closed with a message that it's closed until 1/3/22 (which is obviously incorrect).
Looking east from Harrahs

[TahoeJ]

can someone who makes it up to Palisades in the next couple days get a picture of tram face? it looked stacked on the webcam view & I'm curious to see so that I can armchair ski it

Tram face… may have been hit today… I don’t have photos to prove it. But if someone in the valley wants to shoot the tracks that would be cool.

[lepistoir]

I've been talking on the phone with a buddy stuck in town on 50. In the past hour he has gone 1 city block. traffic is backed up (stopped) from the chain control on Echo Summit to Sand Harbor (28 miles). Meanwhile, google maps shows 50 closed with a message that it's closed until 1/3/22 (which is obviously incorrect).
Looking east from Harrahs

Says 50 eastbound is closed. Are they doing all lanes westbound back to sac?

[BiggC]

Should I wear a beacon in bounds when the resorts open up? [emoji23]

KW patrollers have told me they personally recommend wearing a beacon after a big cycle. So maybe? No harm in putting it on.

[TahoeBC]

I appreciate what SAC does and support them financially, there another valuable tool in the toolbox IMHO.

Looked at the traffic this morning and decided to stay put, ended up noodling around on the ridge above my house, ended up being really fun, only skiing boot deep but fast, trail breaking was pretty easy at least in this zone.



Look like a good sized natural on the sunny side of jakes, that got partially covered by new snow. Kinda a stretch to see with a iPhone photo, slide looks like it ran down to where the skinner goes up on that side


Tallac

[fomofo]

Says 50 eastbound is closed. Are they doing all lanes westbound back to sac?

According to Caltrans 50 is open both directions.

Road cams at Ski Run and Meyers show traffic moving both ways.

Slowly.

[lepistoir]

https://twitter.com/nwsreno/status/1...420418561?s=21

[fomofo]

Are they doing all lanes westbound back to sac?

It does look like they might be doing traffic control (temp one-way) between Meyers and SLT. Which would make sense given the huge backup.

Also, this...

[Robojerry]

Yes but do they have a policy of "Nobody talk to SAC"? Would they communicate if they found something super touchy and not at all what they expected? Do the forecasters have any friends on patrol that they may talk to?

No, no official policy or anything like that that I’m aware of. But it would be very unusual for someone to report to SAC. Not out of fear of violating policy or anything if you did, but honestly there’s enough going on during big storms, so writing an email to SAC to report something just seems very back of mind. All that stuff is kept recorded internally to inform future control efforts though.

I do believe that the proprietary and liability thing is what’s stopping any official channels from being opened up. I.e the patrol avalanche forecasters making an effort to maintain channels and share data with SAC forecasters. I’d think efforts to do this would be stopped in their tracks.

[fomofo]

Looked at the traffic this morning and decided to stay put, ended up noodling around on the ridge above my house, ended up being really fun, only skiing boot deep but fast, trail breaking was pretty easy at least in this zone.

Is that avy safe? ;-)

Nice!!

Back to the bad and the ugly...



Yow!

[4matic]

80 west bound is open. Lite traffic

[PB]

Caltrans says 80 is open only to autos east bound, but still closed to all traffic west bound??

[spnce]

i just got off WB at DPR where the closure is (still) in effect

[powdork]

I've been talking on the phone with a buddy stuck in town on 50. In the past hour he has gone 1 city block.

He left Heavenly around noon. Just got home at the Y.