What does the scale above mean to you as a skier or snowboarder in the Gulmarg backcountry? Remember, this advisory is for the Gulmarg backcountry, which means the terrain that is outside of Gulmarg Ski Area. The red areas in the photo below are the Gulmarg backcountry, and the green area is Gulmarg Ski Area. This advisory does not apply to the green zone ski area. Read more here.
For ski area updates during the day please join Gulmarg Avalanche Advisory page on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2jowwOM.
Snowpack Discussion
14 March 2017 – Avalanche danger above Treeline (>3000m) is Moderate (2) today, natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered avalanches possible. The main avalanche concern is Wind Slab instability in the top 60 cms of the snowpack. Likely locations are beneath ridgetops and in mid slope isolated terrain features on Northerly aspects. See photo below. The slabs themselves are stiff and difficult to trigger. To manage this avalanche danger choose terrain with a mind for terrain traps (rocks, gullies, trees). Getting caught in one of these small to medium sized avalanches could cause traumatic injury. At Treeline (2500-3000m) and Below Treeline (<2500m) , avalanche danger is Low (1), natural and human triggered avalanches unlikely. Normal caution advised. Watch out for unstable snow today on steeper Solar aspects at and below treeline. The skiing is widely variable right now, changing significantly from one elevation and aspect to another. Ski carefully to avoid knee or other injury. A D2-sized wind slab avalanche was triggered by a skier in Chooti Nali bowl on a North aspect mid-slope yesterday.
http://www.deepsnowsafety.org/index.php/. We now have enough snow in the conifer forests 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
Release of a cohesive layer of snow (a 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.
Danger Aspects
Weather Forecast (link:http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Gulmarg/6day/mid)
Ski Area Timings (14 March 2017)
Phase 1 – 9:30am – 4:30pm (last cabin 4:15pm)
Phase 2 – 10:00am – 4:00pm (last cabin 4:15pm)*
Chair Lift – 10:00am – 4:00pm (last cabin 4:15pm)
*Going touring? Sunset is at 6:37pm today.
Beacon Training
Today there are (2) beacons buried on Merry Shoulder. The beacon training area here in Gulmarg is located on Merry Shoulder. The orange dot (see photo below) indicates where a red flag is next to a large birch tree. This is the “point last seen”. Start your search here. We have one, two, and three beacons buried here daily. Please do not dig up the beacons, simply cycle through your Primary (signal) search, Secondary (flux line) search, Pinpoint search, and then Probing. A probe strike indicates the end of your search. If you’re interested in learning more, please come by Gulmarg Ski Patrol base at the bottom of the chair lift.
Next avalanche talk is Tuesday, 14 March 2017 at 7:30pm at Pine Palace Resort. Pine Palace Resort is located in Gulmarg meadow. Talks will continue every Tuesday night at 7:30 pm through 28 March, 2017.