What does the scale above mean to you as a skier or rider in the Gulmarg backcountry? Read more here.
Snowpack Discussion
Snowpit tests yesterday revealed wind slabs to be bonding to the old snow surface in the alpine and below treeline. During control work yesterday, we managed to release one wind slab beneath the ridgetop on a Northeast aspect at 3900 meters. There are a variety of new wind slabs on all aspects in the alpine currently. Your smartest travel plan today is to stick to ridge lines and lower slope angles if you choose to go into the backcountry.
If you trigger a wind slab today beneath one of the ridge tops on a Northerly aspect on Mount Apharwat, that slab may “step down” to the persistent slab layer, creating a medium to large-sized avalanche. The likelihood of this happening is low, but the consequences are high. Persistent slabs are usually triggered near rocks or shallow areas of the snowpack. Manage your terrain wisely, and do not drop into a route with other groups below you. Wait for others to clear the route, or choose another objective.
Choose to ride in groups in the forests of Gulmarg. http://www.deepsnowsafety.org/index.php/. We now have enough snow in the conifer forests above 3200 meters for skiers and riders to get trapped in tree wells. Read more about this phenomenon in the link above. It causes several fatalities each year in other ski regions of the globe.
Avalanche Problem #1-Wind Slab
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Problem Description
Release of a cohesive layer of snow (slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Wind Slabs form in specific areas, and are confined to lee and cross-loaded terrain features. They can be avoided by sticking to sheltered or wind-scoured areas.
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Avalanche Problem #2 – Persistent Slab
Problem Description –
Release of a cohesive layer of soft to hard snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.
The best ways to manage the risk from Persistent Slabs is to make conservative terrain choices. They can be triggered by light loads and weeks after the last storm. The slabs often propagate in surprising and unpredictable ways. This makes this problem difficult to predict and manage and requires a wide safety buffer to handle the uncertainty.
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Weather Discussion (for 3250 meters): Clear skies and Light winds forecasted for today through Friday.
Gulmarg Ski Area (green zone) Timings for 2/2/2016:
Phase 1 – 0830 -1630 (last cabin at 1600)
Phase 2 – 0900 – 1600 (last cabin at 1530)
Chair Lift – 0900 – 1600 (last chair at 1530)
Beacon Training Center on Merry Shoulder is OPEN with 2 BEACONS. Come by Gulmarg ski patrol base at mid mountain to learn the location of the beacon training center and hone your search skills and times.
Next avalanche talk is Wednesday, 3 February, 2016 at 7:30pm at Hotel Hilltop. Hotel Hilltop is located across from the ice skating rink in Gulmarg meadow. Talks will continue every Wednesday night at 7:30 pm through 30 March, 2016.