January 26, 2015

Backcountry Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions for Gulmarg 26.1.2015

ALPINE 3,000 to 4,000m – CONSIDERABLE

Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision-making essential.

 

BELOW TREELINE Below 3,000m – LOW

DangerScale_Icons
LOW – Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

 

Untitled6Primary Problem

A persistent slab is any slab formed over a persistent weak layer, in our case, depth hoar. These slabs are hard to predict, often are triggered from the middle or low on the slab, and can propagate over large areas and across terrain features traditionally thought of as safe zones, like ridges, benches, and low angle terrain. The problem can last for weeks or months.

 

Untitled2 copySnowpack discussion

The backcountry avalanche danger rating for the alpine today is considerable, and low below tree line. A better word for considerable is serious. We have serious avalanche danger in the alpine right now. Persistent slab is the problem, with >70cm of snow sitting on top of a persistent weak layer of depth hoar. Likely slopes are NW, N, NE, and E – facing sheltered aspects. Yesterday’s control work revealed avalanches on N and NE aspects that ran on the depth hoar layer on the bottom of the snowpack. Travel in the backcountry above tree line today is dangerous. The last storm also deposited deep wind slabs near ridgelines on isolated leeward N facing slopes.

 

Untitled3Weather Discussion for 3000m Cloudy with a chance of snow showers today. Light winds from the southwest.

 

Issued by: Gulmarg Ski Patrolred-cross-2_bigger

This advisory is issued as a public service. No patrol services or avalanche control take place outside of the ski area boundary.