We at WAC are fortunate to have a Community so supportive of what we do and offer. The Frostbite Film Festival was a great hit. See Jerry (one of our Board members) below turning on his charm during a pre-auction viewing of the great equipment our Sponsors donated for the event.

We are still a bit short on $ for new ideas we are tossing around for next season with the hopes of funding them.

Nearly 10" fell in the northern Wallowas over the weekend and about the same amount in the southern Wallowas. Stability is in check for the most part. Excitement is building for another big storm  this weekend. We still have some lurking deeper weaknesses and it might be opportune to have you check out this cool video on deep slabs so we don't begin thinking: 'Out of Sight out of Mind'.

Keith 

January 31, 2012: The Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race kept us busy over the last week. WAC plays a critical role in advising the race on snow safety conditions along the 200 mile course. Keith spent most of the day Wednesday before the race checking out areas of concern we identified on the course. The recent loading event prompted a lot of questions from volunteers working the race, and WAC was there to answer any concerns.

Here Keith investigates some recent activity along the ECX course. We helped ECX identify and map areas along the course that warrant extra attention from a snow safety standpoint.

We seem to wear a lot of different hats around here, so as Safety and Communications Coordinator for ECX, I worked closely with Jerry as the Fergi checkpoint manager and Keith as the Snow safety officer and SAR Team Leader. Paul was in charge of shuttling spectators to the start.

As many of us volunteer for multiple winter related activities in the region, the Frostbite Film Festival seemed a natural fit for WAC. Held on Thursday this week at the OK Theater in Enterprise, this event benefits a number of non-profits. Each organization brings items to the raffle and auction and we are bringing some pretty cool stuff, thanks to our great sponsors. Check some of it out HERE. Doors open at 6PM and we hope to see you there!

Julian

WAC would like to thank local Wallowa County sponsors for donating equipment for a HAM radio repeater system on the Salt Creek Summit Community building. Wallowa County Search and Rescue (WCSAR) paid for the antenna system, Loren of Les Schwab in Enterprise donated the deep cycle batteries to power the system and Sunstorage of Enterprise donated the solar panel, wiring and labor to keep the batteries charged.

This is an important safety communication system for WAC when we are up in the backcountry doing observations as well as WCSAR, ECX sled dog race, and the general public to use with an Amateur Radio license. This sets WAC up nicely with infrastructure necessary for a future weather station up there. Thanks to these folks.

Keith

We took our avalanche awareness program on the road last night to a packed audience in Baker City. Thanks to everyone that joined us for an evening of education for every backcountry winter recreationist. Michael Hatch led the program he developed for WAC, with Keith assisting. Keith was able to debut the new avalanche flour board that we told you about last week. Using flour and sugar, we can simulate snow stability behavior over a range of terrain types and anchors.

If you missed out this week, we will bring the show to Anthony Lakes on Sunday afternoon at 3 PM. Cap off a great day on the mountain learning about some basics that could save your life!

Yesterday, Keith and I joined Michael Hatch and Jerry Issac from EOU on a scouting mission to Angell Basin in the Anthony Lakes Backcountry. Michael and Jerry were doing some prep work for an upcoming Level 1 course. Conditions far exceeded my expectations, with some pretty nice tree skiing on the north aspects.

Lastly, start thinking about our annual fundraiser. The frostbite film festival. Held on Feb 2nd in Enterprise this year, the event benefits several groups in the area. Thanks to some great sponsors, we will contribute several awesome raffle items to the event. We'll post some photos of all this great gear soon.

Julian

We finished out the year with an active storm cycle that brought significant amounts of snow. Storm totals for the week varied less than we often see, with all the snotel sites receiving around a foot of snow. Many of the backcountry areas received significantly more than what was recorded at snotel sites. Total water amounts (swe) were around 3 inches in most areas. This equates to a relatively wet snow and a relatively heavy load on the snowpack. We've been talking about a potential loading event, and recent backcountry reports confirm that things are a little dicey out there!

Keith, Paul and Jerry have been working hard at completing our avalanche flour/sugar board model pictured here. This model simulates the release of an avalanche and how it flows downslope. Flour is the slab on top of sugar which is the weak layer. We have been talking about the real sugary weak layer for weeks now. This model will be part of our January Avalanche Awareness presentations  Our next event will be in Baker City on January 9th. Many others are listed on our Education tab.

Winds and temperatures picked back up today, so keep an eye on the conditions out there and let us know what you see.

Julian & Keith

December 25, 2011: Merry Christmas! Going into the last week of the year, the National Weather Service promises some good news! Today we saw the strongest winds in weeks, with gusts in the 40-50 mph range at 8000 feet. The first of several wet systems should begin to affect us early in the week. Hopefully this will put a good dent in our low snowpack which is sitting right at 50% for the major drainages in Northeast Oregon. That's actually one of the higher amounts across the state! Check our regional pages for the latest mountain forecasts.

On Friday we installed a new antenna at Salt Creek Summit for a radio repeater and eventual weather station. Another cooperative project initiated by WAC, this station will provide solid voice communication to the Wing Ridge and Wallowa Mountains Snowmobile backcountry. It operates on both UHF and VHF amateur radio frequencies. Our partners so far include Wallowa County and Wallowa County Search and Rescue. We're still looking for some funding to complete this valuable safety project, so please consider pitching in! A very special Thank You goes to Ron Hayes of Joseph Electric who donated his time and bucket truck to make this happen. Without Ron's generous support, we would be sitting on the thin snowpack wondering how to raise the antenna! Thanks for making it happen Ron!

Let's hope the new year brings a new weather pattern!

Julian

Great weather made installing our beacon park this week an enjoyable task. Keith, Paul, Jerry and CB were on hand representing WAC. Keith's backcountry report details the day's events. Situated at the Salt Creek Summit snow park, this beacon park makes it easy to test your skills before venturing into the backcountry. The control box allows you to set up a number of different problems, from the simple to the downright impossible! If you have a beacon, you owe it to yourself and your traveling partners to spend a little time practicing your skills.

Watching the sunrise over the Wallowa Mountains is a sight rarely seen in December! While we all wish La Niña would hurry up and get on with it, good times in the mountains are there to be enjoyed. If you look in the right places, snow pack depths reach over 3 feet. While you can find plenty of wind crusts, there’s also still some great snow out there, particularly in the trees. Even with lower snow depths, we see some areas of concern in the snow pack. Our neighboring avalanche centers discuss the same concerns right now, as conditions are similar throughout the region. As always, stability can vary tremendously, so you should always evaluate the slope you are on and make travel decisions based on the conditions you see out there.

Have a Merry Christmas and a great holiday season!

Julian

Thursday, December 1

Yesterday I was up in the Wing Ridge area. Connelly Brown and Ken Bronec (WAC Advisor and WAC Board member respectively) were also up there and each of us had our own duties to perform while enjoying the good quality snow. After 10 days away from the Wallowas I was amazed at the powder quality resting on a firm supportable base.

Be sure to check out the new National Weather Service product developed especially for us that gives you detailed zone specific forecasts for YOUR area of recreational interest. Click on any map region and you'll find it. Or HERE for all the zonal forecasts.

Recently I gave a presentation promoting WAC in McCall for the backcountry National Ski Patrol Instructors (region 705: eastern OR and SW Idaho). These folks provide avalanche certification courses for NSP Patrollers and the general public. They tentatively may offer a FREE avalanche Cert. Level 1 in our area!! Stay tuned to our Education page.

Great X-country skiing and snowshoeing abound right now.

Keith

Monday, Nov. 21

Ken Bronec reports around 1.5 feet of snow now on the Wagon Road (Wing Ridge, northern Wallowas) for nordic skiing. Snow is expected today/tonight and looks like it'll be continuing most of this week!

We continue to place new educational offerings on our Education tab so keep looking for great events beginning mid December and lasting through the winter!

The first weekly bulletin will be an abbreviated summary highlighting our backcountry snowpack conditions and will be available on Thanksgiving day (Nov. 24) by 5pm. This bulletin will cover the history of the snowpack from our first storm October 5-6. The beginning of our regular detailed weekly bulletins will begin for the season on Thursday December 1.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving from all of us at WAC!

Keith

November 14, 2011: Winter is definitely here this week. Conditions in the mountains have been cold the last couple of days with daytime highs at 8000 feet only in the low 20's. I'm hoping for a few more good dumps so we can get out an play in it! We've been busy making some small changes to our products. Obviously you notice the new home page layout on the site. These changes were driven by input from our advisors and users and we really appreciate all the comments we received. I hope the new layout make the site easier to use and navigate around.

Our new weather station is up and running at Anthony Lakes. Sitting at the summit of the ski area at almost 8000 ft, this station will give us valuable data for the Elkhorn Mountains region. A special thanks to La Grande Weather Service for the nice work displaying the data. The LGDWS provides weather forecasts specific to Anthony Lakes, so if you visit the Elkhorns, check out their site for additional weather information. Several education events are planned for the region and we hope to update you soon on these. We so have a Level 1 course offered in La Grande through EOU listed on the site. Space is very limited, so if you're interested, please sign up early. If they get enough early interest, they may invite another instructor to allow more students to attend. 

Our education coordinator, Michael Hatch continues work on our new awareness program. We plan to present this throughout the region and it promises to be a great show with a lot of local information.

Julian

Friday, Nov. 4, 2011

Today we awoke to 3" on the ground here at WAC headquarters in Joseph and it's still snowing at 11:30am. NWS tells us that 8" storm total is expected above 6000'. Keith and Ken visited the high country on Wing Ridge before this snow. See our report HERE.

Late last month Julian and Keith attended the National Avalanche Center director's meeting in Salt Lake City. This is an annual event and we learned that new national standards for reporting avalanche center information are being introduced. This pertains to how we record data and use certain terms to align and maintain consistency with other centers nationwide. You will see these terms this season in our weekly current condition bulletins (yes, bulletins).

We are cooking right along developing a fantastic schedule of educational offerings this winter. We'll have the Ed page updated before Thanksgiving so plan on attending one or more events!!

In a couple weeks I'll have a set date on our weekly condition bulletin start date and many other announcements. Pray for plenty more of the stuff you see today all winter long!

Keith

Fall colors have given way to snow down to 5000' yesterday in the Wallowa's. Although nothing to speak of for accumulation, it sure gets us all thinking that winter is close at hand.

WAC's annual meeting with the National Weather Service occured in late August and was hosted by Julian and Scott. It took place in Joseph and included a tour of WACs weather station atop Mt. Howard. The NWS again is supporting us with a new zonal forecast product for the northeastern OR mountains. Julian has been hard at work developing a zonal map seen here on the home page. By clicking on the zone of interest you'll find a plethorea of info this winter.

Just recently WAC has reviewed proposals from interested educators willing to develop our new avalanche awareness program to be unveiled this season. Mike Hatch a newcomer to Wallowa County, but by no means a newcomer to avalanche education instructing, has been awarded the project. He comes from Sawtooth Mountain Guides with many years guiding in the Sawtooths and teaching avalanche certification courses there. We are pleased to have him help develop this program for us and look for him guiding in the Wallowas for years to come!

By mid November we will be announcing our preliminary educational offerings for the winter and I'll be filling you in on our condition summary changes and starting date. Enjoy the cooler fall weather and colors.

Keith

August 14, 2011: Beautiful warm sunny days prevail through Eastern Oregon as we move into the later part of summer. Things have been pretty quiet for WAC as we enjoy our summer adventures both far and near. Our focus this summer includes a few enhancements to the web site and further development of our educational program.

Education constitutes the foundation of what we do as an avalanche center and as we develop our website, we strive for a consistent and simple educational message across all our products. Our viewers come to our site with diverse knowledge backgrounds and we would like them to leave with knowledge that they can use both in the short term and in the long term.

Fortunately we have some help from other Avalanche centers that have developed educational messages for thousands of people over the years. We're lucky to draw on this experience! The challenge for us now involves adapting the programs for our community and our product.

Speaking of products, we're  hosting a meeting with the National Weather Service later this month in Joseph. NWS forecasters will get up close and personal with our spectacular mountains! We will also work out details on enhanced mountain weather products that the NWS continues to develop for our users. Thank You NWS Pendleton!!

Julian

Friday, July 15, 2011

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. After nearly two months of mostly cold wet weather here in Joseph the sun came out to stay in late June. The snowpack is slow to go at the higher elevations.

The Peaks are even more covered than this photo of Hurricane Divide as you move further into the interior. Yesterday when I visited with folks at the USFS, the trail crew gang indicate that the snowline on hiking trails is lower than the average this year. Slick Rock avy path (Hurricane Trail) has a very risky snow bridge at the trail crossing there, beware. See SPECIAL HAZARD photos.

WAC has been busy preparing for next year and Julian (Acting Director for the summer) has some exciting ideas he plans for next year on the website. He'll update this blog later with the details. WAC has a meeting in August with the NWS Pendleton who continues their heavy support of our work with even more weather forecast products and enhancements to bring you the most accurate information possible for the high elevations of northeast Oregon.

WAC wants to recognize the users and sponsors of our organization who keep us going with their valued donations. Some sponsors are contacting us for sponsorship which is a vote of confidence. We thank you.

Keith has been riding a bicycle during May and June in Alaska but is now back in Joseph to catch up on some business matters but likely will get back in the saddle for another bicycle tour somewhere. See TOUR thanks to Julian's website prowess.

Keep enjoying the warm sun 'cause soon we'll be preparing our snow travel and avalanche gear for another great high country winter.

Keith

May 12, 2011: Spring is always slow to come in Northeast Oregon and this year is no exception. Several cold systems and only a few warm days means that there is still a lot of snow out there. Many SNOTELs still reporting over 6 feet! It's still too early to forget about snow safety if you are venturing into the upper elevations. Take a look at the condition summary for spring conditions! More unsettled weather is in store for the next few days.

The map with all the blue shows the areas with more than 150% of normal SWE. Most of eastern Oregon is around the 200% of normal mark for this time of year. The La Nina weather pattern seems to have delivered in terms of the snowpack!

The WAC board had a meeting in late April to wrap up the season. We discussed the past season as well as plans for next season and beyond. While challenges always present themselves, we have a dedicated Board that is committed to winter safety in Northeast Oregon. We are especially fortunate to have a number of engaged advisors that help steer us in the right directions! Thanks for all the comments of support from everyone else as well! We really appreciate it!

As summer slowly nears, the opportunity for adventure beckons. Keith will be staying in shape this summer for those long trips into Aneroid Basin that he loves so much. To stay strong, he will be pedaling his bicycle from Alaska to the southern tip of Texas. More information about is trip is posted HERE.

Have a great summer!

Julian

April 10, 2011: Another week of snow in the mountains with many locations receiving over a foot of new snow. Anthony Lakes closes today with over a foot of new snow over the past week. Most locations have 6 feet with a lot more at the higher elevations. All snotel stations report about 106-120% of normal as of yesterday, so there will be some great spring skiing for weeks to come.

Snow coverage map showing the extent of snow coverage in the Wallowa Mountains. Darker red shades indicate 100 inches of snow depth.

We issued our last regular summary for the season on Thursday. It was another great season for WAC! With your help we accomplished several significant projects. Our weather station on Mt. Howard provided the high elevation winds for the first time, and we forged a new partnership with the Forest Service. The National Weather Service continued their strong support for WAC. In October we met people from avalanche centers around the country at the ISSW in Squaw Valley. We sponsored awareness events and certification courses throughout the season. In January we provided support for the ECX Sled Dog Race in snow safety and participated in the Frostbite Film Festival in Joseph. We received a Wildhorse grant to further our educational programs next year.

We reached a lot more people this year as well. Traffic on our website was up 50% over last year!

We count on the support of our corporate sponsors and individual donors. Thank You everyone for a great season.

Julian

April 3, 2011: A short, but strong burst of spring came to Northeast Oregon this past week. Temperatures in the valleys reached close to 70 degrees! The greening grass and bursting rivers confirm that spring is on the way. Along with the long lines at tire stores to get snow tires removed!

NWS forecasts indicate last week was just a short teaser. Forecasts for the coming week indicate winter weather still dominates our region for the time being. Conditions in the mountains are nowhere close to spring like yet!

Warm conditions mean that roads are in pretty good shape, though that can change quickly. The Forest Service is updating the road conditions page with the very latest information on the road to Salt Creek Summit. If you have any new information, please take the time to submit a backcountry report.

As spring eases into the area, consider the primary weather factors for a wet avalanche: Warm temperatures (above freezing), strong solar radiation, and rainfall. Spring weather usually consists of a healthy dose of all these factors. Watching the snotel temperatures both highs and lows can help evaluate the conditions before you head out.

We will publish our last regular summary this week. Look for a season wrap-up summary the following week.

Julian

March 28, 2011: Snow continues to pile up in the mountains of Northeast Oregon with SnoTels reporting 80-100 inches on the ground after the last storm cycle. Several common slide areas were active during this period. With careful route finding and safe travel techniques, some awesome riding is out there. National Weather Service forecasts indicate that more is on the way over the next few days, so look for more opportunities to make fresh tracks.

As we enjoy all this fresh snow that will last late into spring, it may also be a good time to review some of the basic principles on how to apply the knowledge you gain from our site. You may have noticed a number of disclaimers on our site, and before discounting them all as "lawyer talk", the practical implications should be clear to everyone. We can only provide a limited historical reference based on what we observed throughout the season in the the places we visited, or received reports. A review of avalanche accidents, reveals that most victims were relatively informed before they left. So what happed? How can YOU be safe?

Hopefully you already have some basic snow safety education under your belt. If not, we look forward to seeing you next season in one of our classes! Before you leave, check out the reports and get a feel of what you might see. Then, as soon as you start off, be alert to any clues, or "red flags". The extreme variability of snow stability makes constant observation an essential component of safe travel. Research also indicates that falling into familiar social traps can lead us the wrong way. For example, fresh tracks on a slope do not necessarily mean it is stable! A healthy degree of skepticism will make you a safer traveler.

The detailed pit analysis you see on our site provides a lot of information for a particular location. Research shows that in many cases good travel decisions can be made without digging pits and doing countless stability tests. Knowledge of the snow pack history and keen observation in the field will go a long way toward safely enjoying these awesome conditions!

Julian

March 22, 2011: UPDATE. The avalanche warning has expired. Please see the column to the right for a special report.

March 21, 2011: With the new season comes a storm cycle that continues to dump a considerable amount of snow throughout the region. SnoTels and observers indicate over a foot of new snow has fallen over the past few days, with some areas receiving considerably more. Our Mt. Howard weather station recorded several wind gusts over 50 MPH yesterday associated with the storm.

SnoTel sites also measure the water content of snow, referred to as the "snow water equivalent" or SWE. Right now we are seeing a spike in the SWE at several sites. This rapid loading could indicate a potentially destabilizing force in a snowpack that already has some layers of concern. As we looked at the data and received reports of human triggered slides, it became clear that the hazard level was on the rise. You can see the warning we posted this morning as a result.

The good news for today comes from the Forest Service. Additional snow plowing funds became available from the state, so Salt Creek Summit should see improved driving conditions very soon. Check the road conditions page.

Again, a special thank you to our observers for bring back this information in a timely manner!

While mother nature showed her force, we also accepted a gift that will give our awareness program a huge boost. We received a grant from the Wildhorse Foundation specifically targeting the development of an avalanche awareness program. We hope to launch this all new education effort next season. Thank You Wildhorse Foundation!

Keep a close eye on the conditions out there!

Julian

March 13, 2011: Another round of wet weather is making its way into Northeast Oregon tonight with gusts on Mt. Howard over 60 Mph earlier in the day. On the western slope we saw strong surface winds in the Grande Ronde Valley all day with a short but potent hail storm as the main front passed over this evening.

Weather models show continued unsettled weather for the next few days with a strong low pressure area moving inland around Tuesday morning.

As we moved our clocks forward with the approach of spring, I wondered how this year shapes up in terms of snowfall in the region. There's a lot of numbers you can look at, but the highly abridged version shows that overall, this was a pretty average year. I looked at snow depth at Aneroid SnoTel which is right at 61 Inches tonight. The average for March 13th over the past 10 years is right at 62.5. Interestingly, the snow water equivalent (SWE) is only about 2/3 of normal at 15.5 inches. Other records show that the overall basin averages for snow depth come in just over 100% of normal for Northeast Oregon.

Of course we could get a lot more snow in the coming weeks! Remember last year?

As we near the end of our season, we look to what our center has offered and how we can make improvements or changes for next year. Many of you have sent in letters of support and they are always appreciated. If you have any input for us going into next season, please take a moment and let us know. Thanks!

Julian

March 8, 2011: Special Update. We received some updated road conditions information. Please check out the new road conditions page.

March 6, 2011: We had a fairly settled weather pattern for the past few days after the big dumping for the past 2 weeks. Snow depths in all areas are perfect for late winter activities. On Saturday I joined Keith for a trip into Aneroid Basin, one of my favorite ski destinations. Aneroid Basin is a long 7 mile climb, but the rewards can be fantastic! Saturday was one of those all around perfect days where everything comes together for a great experience. We enjoyed mostly clear skies with almost no wind at all!

Dollar Ridge dominates the south east end of the basin and is an awesome site on this clear day! We climbed up to about 8500 feet near Tenderfoot pass and dug a couple of pits. We compared some different aspects to get a better understanding of the snowpack. Keith will have a full report on Thursday. You can checkout the Backcountry report here.

I finished up the day attending the ECX Sled Dog Race Barbeque at Fergi and enjoyed a great meal and great company!

A writer asked us about emergency communcations this week. Part of a guided group, this proactive travleler was looking for important informatioin to complete their safe travel preparations. Our emergency communications page went live on the site now under the resources tab. We are always looking for ways to improve our product, so don't hesitate to let us know!

Julian

February 27, 2011: An active weather pattern created some interesting variation in the weather this past week. Saturday morning saw a sunrise on about -20 degrees in many places. Brrrrrrr!!! We still had a hardy group participating in the Level 1 Avalanche Certification class at Anthony Lakes this weekend. The two day field session followed an all day classroom session last weekend. This AAA (American Avalanche Association) and NSP (National Ski Patrol) certification course was offered to the public.

On Saturday, the group discussed the important relationship between weak layers of the snowpack and weather history. A number of rescue drills were also performed. A total of 6 members of Wallowa County SAR participated in this class, which will greatly add to the winter capability of the unit. Several SAR members opted for the snowmobile specific section that included a field session geared specifically to motorized travel in avalanche terrain.

Keith joined the group on Saturday and enjoyed discussions with top instructors within NSP's backcountry avalanche education unit. Spreading the word about what we do is an important function that all WAC Board members help with. Keith also met with Anthony Lakes management and discussed ways we could work together promoting backcountry safety around the northern Elkhorns. 

Also on Saturday, I participated in the annual Union County SAR Winter Camp. The day is spent on training for winter specific missions. Part of the training included a review of Avalanche Beacon use and safe travel protocols for SAR responders.

The continuing snow loading on the known weak layers will only add to potential problem spots. I heard from a group today that backed off some steeper terrain in the northern Elkhorns after performing some stability tests that yielded some significant problems. Be careful out there! Send us those reports!

Julian

February 20, 2011: A continuing storm cycle that started early last week continues to dominate our weather pattern. SnoTel in the area all report at least 10 inches of new snow, with some locations showing more than 20 inches. Actual field observations indicate even more in most locations. Definitely a much needed dumping after a long warm dry spell. So warm in fact that we were unsure whether our final awareness event at Fergi was going to happen or not!

By Thursday enough new snow had fallen that we were pretty confident everything was going to come together. It turned out a great event thanks to a special guest, Carl Pelletier. Carl is a rep for Pieps, one of the leaders in Avalanche Beacons and joined us at Fergi for some in depth training on beacon use. Thank You Carl!  www.libertymountainclimbing.com

The other component to our special awareness event included a short guided backcountry tour led by Keith and Charla. Participants took a short ride up the lift and then ventured into the Fergi side-country to consider all the intricacies of safe backcountry route finding and travel techniques in avalanche terrain.

If you decide to go out in the backcountry, now is the time of year to really pay attention to the snowpack and weather. Conditions are ripe for some instability in certain areas. Remember, you can have some great skiing or riding outside of avalanche terrain. Learn where avalanche terrain can be found and how to travel safely! (Hint: the trees have nothing to do with it!) The latest condition summary addresses some of the things you might look for out there.

Be safe and enjoy some great POW!

Julian

February 16 UPDATE: Fergi will open this weekend!

Join us for beacon use practice and an out-of-bounds, backcountry travel and route-finding mini-trip and discussion. We will meet at the "NO DOGS" sign between the lodge and the ticket booth at 1 PM Saturday. Click here for full information.

February 13, 2011: Today Keith and I teamed up with Wallowa County SAR and rode almost 100 miles of snowmobile trails south of Salt Creek Summit. Our mission was to identify and map potential avalanche hazards in this popular snowmobile region and ECX Sled Dog Race course. We looked at several areas of concern and discussed the specific hazard and the conditions that would create a problem. We considered aspect, slope angles, proximity to the trail, terrain traps, and more.

We even scrambled up a few slopes to make accurate measurements and get a better feel for the terrain. Perfect weather for this outing, with clear skies and calm wind for most of the day. As SAR Members ourselves, avalanche awareness for our local responders is a vital component of WAC's mission. Thanks to Wallowa County SAR for making this trip happen!

Yesterday I made a quick trip into Angell Basin, near Anthony Lakes and followed a well worn skin track for most of the way, well at least until it was covered by all the blowing snow. We skied the North aspect of Angell Peak and found several fresh lines, though the snow presented some challenges, mainly a result of the intense winds blowing and creating some variability. Check out the backcountry report for more details.

Next Saturday is our final awareness event at Fergi Ski Area near Joseph. If you're in the area, this event is a great introduction or refresher on some basic information that could save your life or help you save a partner. Check out our education page for all the details. Snow conditions at Fergi may not cooperate with us, so make sure your check back on our site or on Facebook for the latest updates.

Julian

February 7, 2011: One of the key elements to the success of a small avalanche center includes an active exchange of information between folks out in the field. That's the function our Backcountry Report form serves and we are thrilled to see input from several different people around the area. If you are out there in the snow, please think about sharing any observations you might have. So far the number of reports has tracked well ahead of our expectations and is a huge increase from last year. Thank You to everyone who sent one in and thanks to all of you who WILL be sending information! Remember, you need to have a user name and password to submit a report.

Another big thank you to the Wallowa Alpine Huts crew that cleared trees on the Aneroid trail. The trail was a real mess, as we reported earlier in the season, a result of a nasty wind event in mid November. Thanks to the hard work of the WAH crew, the trip into Aneroid is described as "smooth sailing!"

A slightly more active weather pattern over the last few days, but no major dumping of snow. Most SnoTel sites report 1-3 inches of new snow for this storm cycle so far. The chart above indicates that the highest elevations may see more snow in the next 24 hours.

February 19 will be our day at Fergi for an informal discussion of safe travel and avalanche avoidance techniques. Come on out and enjoy some entertainment and education with us!

Julian

January 31, 2011: While much of the country receives a big dumping of snow, the Northwest sits relatively dry under the spell of a strong high pressure ridge. Fortunately, a decent base layer has provided relatively good conditions across the area. Even Mt. Emily has good snow with reports from this week indicating good turns on Cloud 9 and beyond. Recent reports from Wing Ridge also indicate some nice riding conditions.

This week the National Weather Service debuted a new product developed with input from WAC designed to help us deliver the  most accurate information possible. The addition of freezing level contours on the decision support page will help us define the snow level, especially early in the season and during warm spells. You can access the page directly here, and selecting a county and the snow button on the left. Clicking on the contour will give the freezing level value. Right now the product is pretty dull, as we have cold dry conditions ahead. During a more dynamic weather environment, we expect this tool will come in very handy. A big Thank you NWS in Pendleton!

Still thinking about that Level I course? Our Level I course starts February 19 and is open to the public. The course is filling fast so please sign up soon to take advantage of this great offer that includes separate field sessions for foot travelers and snowmobile riders.

Several WAC Board Members helped out at the Frostbite Film Festival last week, an event benefiting several local non-profits including WAC. We enjoyed an evening of friendship and films and thank everyone who contributed.

Keith is taking a midwinter sabbatical this week with a trip to the Wasatch to catch up with old friends and a new snowpack.

Julian

January 23, 2011: Proficient use of Avalanche Beacons requires frequent practice and application and that's what we did on Saturday at Salt Creek Summit. WAC provided this free session for anyone that showed up, using the recently installed beacon training park just east of the SnoPark.

We had an indoor discussion that included the primary, secondary, and pinpoint searches; the grid and tangent search concepts; probing; a short discussion on shoveling; probe lines; and a question and answer period that covered some safe travel discussion. Moving outside, we reviewed a few transceiver drills (compatibility and range checks, and the "drive-by"). Next we spent about an hour doing single burial searches in the beacon park. After lunch we delved into the multiple burial scenarios.

Thanks everyone who participated and helped!

If you missed out on Saturday, check our education page for another informal gathering on February 19 at Fergi. We will focus that event on recognition and avoidance: basically how to stay out of trouble. Beacon use and practice will also be covered as demand warrants. We hope to see you there!

Also on Saturday, we manned a booth at the OSSA convention. We met some great folks that love safe winter recreation. OSSA Safety Chair Kelly Fough and WAC Director Keith Stebbings discussed ideas for integrating snow safety education into future OSSA events. Keith and Kelly will continue this dialog as they further develop this strategy for keeping every rider safe.

Julian

January 16, 2011: A serious mid-winter warm-up is wreaking havoc on our snow, but fortunately we have a lot of it. Mt. Howard reported over 1 inch of rain with temperatures in the mid to upper 30's all day. Still, we had a great day of skiing on Friday in McCully basin. Warm conditions and rain right up to 8300 feet, but we still managed to get a few turns in. Don't forget to bring ski and skin wax! Glopping was happening! We received an additional report from the Wing Ridge area as well.

Our month full of events continued this week with the Gamblers Snowmobile Club's annual Poker Run. WAC was part of the fun Saturday night in Joseph. New this year is an avy awareness brochure specific to sledders. We had a good supply on hand and answered questions as hungry riders came in to eat and relax. Thanks to the Gamblers for a great time!

This week Wallowa County hosts the annual Oregon State Snowmobile Association (OSSA) convention, bringing sledders from all over the state and beyond. On Wednesday, WAC will meet up with the OSSA at Salt Creek Summit for a beacon practice session just for sledders. We will have beacons to borrow and will be using the recently installed state-of-the-art beacon practice park located on site. This will be a great opportunity to learn and we encourage anyone to join and practice your beacon skills. WAC is sponsoring this event at no cost to participants.

More seasonal conditions should return midweek along with some fresh snow.

Julian

January 10, 2011: We had a busy week in Joseph! On Wednesday the entire WAC Board of Directors attended the avalanche awareness program presented by John Groom of the Payette Avalanche Center. John put on another great show that was presented in conjunction with the Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race.

On Friday the first Avalanche Beacon Park in eastern Oregon was installed near Salt Creek Summit. WAC is a contributing partner to this project that is sponsored by a number of local organizations and businesses. A short video about the beacon park can be found on the resources tab of our site.

The Beacon Park allows users to practice their skills at locating buried victims using an avalanche beacon transceiver. We are fortunate to have this resource so close to home.

WAC made an operational contribution to the ECX Sled Dog as well. While I was involved in race operations, Keith was the snow safety officer for the race. Keith was in close contact with National Weather Service forecasters in Pendleton who were monitoring a complex weather system that was approaching the area. As it turned out, the system stalled just enough to leave the race with overall great weather conditions. The mushers and over 130 volunteers were out on the 200 mile course over a period of over 60 hours. Our established relationship with the National Weather Service in addition to our own westher station on Mt. Howard allowed us the opportunity to provide especially relevant and timely information to the race.

The next few days should bring another series of storms to the area. While temperatures are warming, snow levels should remain around 4000 feet, with rain below.

Julian

January 2, 2011: Happy New Year! We finished out 2010 with a nice dumping which left a little over 2 feet of new snow in many locations. Schnieder Meadows SNOTEL is around 70 inches and Anthony Lakes is reporting 50 inches. Check out the latest condition summary for details on how this new snow pack is bonding to the older snow. We have a handful of new backcountry reports from both the Elkhorns and the Wallowa Mountains.

This week brings the Eagle Cap Extreme to Joseph, with a start at midday Thursday. On Wednesday night WAC will present our first awareness program at the Joseph Community center. We hope to see you there at 7 PM and look forward to meeting many of you. This will be a great opportunity to meet the WAC Board of Directors and enjoy an entertaining and educational program on the basics of safe travel and snow stability. We hope to see you there!

It's a good time to think about more advanced avalanche training. An avy course can be a great way to combine a winter trip with an educational experience. Local courses include opportunities to visit some spectacular backcountry with a knowledgeable guide who will advance your understanding of snow science.

Aside from the storm snow mid week, it's been fairly uneventful. The arctic cold air that has settled over the area should move out in the next few days and leave us with more seasonal temperatures.

Make sure you visit us Wednesday night!

Julian

December 28, 2010: Snow continues to fall with Aneriod Snotel reporting over 30 inches and Schnieder Meadows at almost 50 inches. Unsettled weather continues this week, so the mountains should see a healthy increase in the snowpack. Check out the latest backcountry reports to see some epic Wallowa snow!  January is a busy month around the Wallowas, with the year kicking off with the Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race. A 200 mile Iditarod qualifier, this race starts and ends at Ferguson Ridge Ski Area near Joseph. WAC will support the race again this year as a snow safety resource.

During the ECX race week, WAC will lauch the first of our educational series at the Joseph Community Center. On Wednesday evening, January 5 at 7 PM, we will present a free avalanche awareness seminar open to the public. Presented by John Groom, director of the Payette Avalanche Center, this presentation received rave reviews last year and contained something for everyone. John does a great show using a variety of media, and we are thrilled to have him back again with an all new and updated program.

If Santa brought you a new avy beacon, shovel, and probe, you will be especially interested in some of our upcoming events. Even seasoned veterens will gain from the beacon practice sessions and advanced training that are available locally this winter. Please check out our education page for the latest details.

Also new this year, a beacon practice park at Salt Creek Summit. WAC is a co-sponsor of this great resource that will really enhance our field sessions. The park should be operational in the next couple of weeks. Look for updates here and on our Facebook page.

Have a great New Year!

Julian

December 19, 2010: An active winter weather system moved into our region this weekend, beginning early Saturday morning. We've seen snow accumulations of around 4 inches through most of the Grande Ronde valley so far, with more expected tonight. Reports from the Southern Wallowas indicate about 4 feet already on the ground at Fish Lake and Norway Basin. National Weather Service forecasts indicate continued unsettled weather for the next few days.

The graphic indicates the likelyhood of 6 inches or more snow in the next 12 hours.

The warm weather we had in the last week set the snowpack up for a significant layering. This week we will be looking at the new snow in relation to this interface with the older snow and possible crusts. Observations will give us an idea of the bonding and stability found around that interface. We'll also be on the lookout for spatial variability - basically the variation in the snowpack found on different aspects, elevations etc. Sometimes significant differences can exist across a very small area, making it difficult to generalize the conditions.

Providing a place to compile observational data is a critical component of what we offer. You can help tremendously by submitting backcountry reports whenever you travel in the snow. Even a simple report of no observed activity is a significant contribution. Many avalanche accidents list information sharing as a contributing factor. So we're trying get the infomation out there from any and all sources! Anyone can submit a report! Please contact us if you have any questions.

Thanks to everyone who made a donation this week. We greatly appreciate it!

Julian

December 12, 2010: I want to thank those that have contributed to making WAC a reality. During the ISSW conference in October, I had the opportunity to speak with a few "oldtimers" who enlightened me on the history of an avalanche center in Northeast Oregon. Starting WAC in 2009 represented a success that had only been talked about for years. We jumped so many hurdles that we had been led to believe would stop us. Thank You for YOUR support!! WAC is now a reality.

The NWS 3 month outlook shows a wet Northwest. Things certainly warmed up this week down in the low lands, while dumping more snow at the higher elevations. About 6 inches of new snow fell on the southern Wallowas and Elkhorn Mountains. The warming temperatures could make for some interesting developments in the snowpack. Stay tuned for Keith's weekly summary for more information.

We depend on your support as we receive NO government funding! We would love to send you a hat as a thank you for a $50 contribution. Even a lesser amount represents a vote of support for WAC. When we talk to various entities, showing a significant number of contributors is a huge asset, regardless of the amount contributed.

So think about how you utilize this site and the value of the information. Consider where you would find the information if we did not put it out there or provide a means for you to share and read reports from others. Consider the new beacon practice park we co-sponsored this year; or the education events we sponsor so people can learn at no cost. Supporting WAC does not require spending a lot. A simple token of thanks goes a long way towards OUR future. We want YOU to be a partner going foward!

Thanks everyone, have a great week! (Now go click on that PayPal button!!)

Julian

December 5, 2010: The weekend after Thanksgiving traditionally is Christmas Tree cutting time. I particularly enjoy this event as it gives me the opportunity to reflect on the season and the same event in years gone past. Since moving to Northeast Oregon, I have performed this ritual every year and am always amazed at the variations in snow amounts at this time of year. One year, not too long ago, it was relatively warm with practically no snow anywhere. You could easily drive on any Forest roads in the area. I try to pick out a different place every year, and have developed a few good spots.

Yesterday I went out, late in the afternoon, feeling confident in my tree hunting skills. It didn't take long for me to realize that I had a problem. Driving into any of my favorite spots was not going to happen this year! Way to much snow!!  I came home empty handed, but determined to hatch a new plan!

This morning a friend joined me for some skate skiing at Anthony Lakes. Great early season conditions up there.  The downhill runs were looking good too. You can read my complete report.

We decided to try something different this year with our condition summaries. You will now have access to the latest summary by 5 PM every Thursday. Hopefully this will make planning weekend adventures a little easier.

Weather models are lining up a little better for the next few days. The NWS is forecasting a storm tomorrow and another one on Wednesday. Temperatures warmed up considerably today.

My revised tree harvest plan was successfully executed this afternoon on skis. We have a tree!

November 30, 2010: Yesterday I took a trip out toward Taylor Green, south-east of La Grande. A logging operation is keeping the 77 road plowed for several miles in, so I made it in a lot further than planned. Snowmobiling opportunities abound in the area around the Catherine Creek Snopark, and by the time this current storm cycle ends, we may see enough snow for some quality riding. Plenty of avalanche terrain can also be found around the area, so  planning and caution is also required! Snowmobiles account for the majority of avalanche accidents over the past few years, a result of both increasing numbers and the awesome power and cabability of the newer sleds.

If anyone is venturing over to Central Oregon next week, our neighboring avy center is sponsoring a great program for snowmobile riders in the Bend area. A great early season primer for some potentially lifesaving information.

The Central Oregon Avalanche Association will be presenting the "Know Before You Go" avalanche education program at Cascade Motorsports on December 8th at 6:30 pm.  The "Know Before You Go" avalanche education program was developed and provided to the Central Oregon Avalanche Association by the Utah Avalanche Center.  This is an basic overview program and not a replacement for taking an avalanche class taught by certified avalanche professionals.

This free presentation will be aimed at snowmobilers.  Please contact Cascade Motorsports to RSVP for the event at 541-389-0088.

For local Northeast Oregon training events, please check our Education Page.

November 28, 2010: Our first significant storm cycle continues to deliver! Most snotel sensors in our area report at least 10 inches of relatively low density snow. Reports from the field indicate significantly more than that in many places. Winds have picked up in the last few days, so snow transport and loading could become a significant player going forward. The steady progression of storms without a clearing period provides a generally stabilizing influence to the snowpack. Cold, clear nights create a strong temperature gradient which can lead to a weakening of the snow crystal bonds. Understanding and making sense of such clues is our goal in the weekly condition summary. We provide you with the tools to help you make good travel decisions.  Check out the bottom line part of the summary on the front page and select the link  on the upper right corner of the home page for the full summary.

National Weather Service models indicate that we should see a short break in the storm cycle before another snow cycle arrives on Tuesday. All that blue is forecast snow on Tuesday morning!

Keith just called in from McCully basin, making it up to about 8300 ft. Read about his trip on the backcountry report page where you can learn about the latest on snow depths and snowpack conditions. Keith reports that conditions are really good this early in the season.

If you're out and about, we'd love to hear about it. Submitting a backcountry report will help us deliver a great product! It's quick and easy, so give it a try!

Julian

November 21, 2010: Another series of weather disturbances continue to deliver some great winter weather to our region. A light dusting of snow over some icy roads this morning made my morning run in the Blue Mountain foothills a little dicey! National Weather Service forecasts point toward continued snow and cold temperatures for the rest of the week. Keith and I met with the National Weather Service in Pendleton and continued to build on the great dialog we started last season. Together with NWS, we promise to continue to deliver the best products for the the users we serve. Among the new projects for this year, the NWS created a milepost forecast for Anthony Lakes to supplement the mileposts in the Wallowa Mountains. Find all the mountain mileposts on our local weather page. These hour by hour forecasts provide a detailed short term forecast, perfect for that long day trip in the mountains.

All that pink in the photo is a beautiful thing: A Winter Storm Warning....It's coming! Be careful out there and take precautions no matter what your mode of travel!

This week marks our first condition summary. Since we already have a little snow out there, an understanding of this base layer is a critical component to understanding the total snow pack later in the season. Keith will explain all that and more this Friday.

Please also consider our product and it's use to you. We have no large ski area, government funds, or large corporate donors. We count on people like you. As a special Thank You, we will give you a WAC hat. Please check out our support page.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and stay warm!

Julian

November 7, 2010: Well it sure doesn't feel like fall right now. Temperatures in La Grande today were close to 70 degrees! Big changes are in store for the weather this week, with cooling temperatures and a possibility of precipitation. In fact the National Weather Service is forecasting snow for Aneroid Basin during the middle of the day, tapering off to showers late in the afternoon. Be sure to check out our Local Weather Page and take a look at the Milepost Forecasts. Orginally designed for highways, these products are issued by the Weather Service for  specific locations with hourly forecasts. The NWS  created a couple of these products for WAC to provide you with the very best forecasts for the mountains of Northeast Oregon.

In other news, this week marked the first WAC field trip of the season. Keith hiked into Aneroid Basin and made it up to about 8100 feet near Dollar Ridge. Our Facebook readers received live updates by radio as Keith postholed his way though a foot or more of snow at the higher elevations. Read Keith's report on our home page.

In other news this week, the U.S. Forest Service gave us the green light to officially annouce our partnership. The new logo on our home page represents the first step of what we hope will be an evolving, cooperative partnership. Thank you everyone who helped make this happen!

Thanks to those making donations to WAC this week! We really appreciate the early season support.

Julian

November 1, 2010: It's been a busy week for WAC! We are pleased to offer a full range of outstanding avalanche education opportunities this winter, ranging from a couple of hours to multi-day courses. New this year are classes designed specifically for snowmobile riders, who are increasingly involved in avalanche accidents. An avy class is a great way to expand your knowledge and perhaps see some new terrain. All our courses put an emphasis on practical, real-world decision making and route finding in avalanche terrain. Our Education Page has a complete listing of the courses we offer in addition to other courses in Northeast Oregon.

In other news this week, we were formally recognized by the American Avalanche Association with a "dot on the map". Recognition from the "Triple A" is a big step forward for WAC and we appreciate the confidence that this national governing body has in our products and services.

We also met with local Forest Service representatives this week where many ideas were exchanged about enhancing our relationship with the dominant land management agency in our area. We really appreciate the vote of support and look forward to developing our relationship further in the future.

.

Last week at the International Snow Science Workshop (www.issw2010.com) many folks from small avalanche centers nationwide (including Julian and Keith from WAC) met to exchange ways each of us can help one another through the trials and tribulations of beginning and maintaining a good quality avalanche center. Below is the new group of informal members. Hosted by David Lovejoy and featured guest Doug Abromeit of the USFS National Avalanche Center provided a sound vision to get us going.

Also at the ISSW meeting of the American Avalanche Assoc. we (WAC) were approved for inclusion as an information center on the all important Oregon state map found on www.avalanche.org. They promise to get us on the map by the end of November. We appreciate the confidence AAA has in us for providing info to the public and honoring us in this way.

Keith and Julian attended the ISSW and learned plenty from the vast collection of oral papers and poster presentations. Keith submitted a published paper and presented a poster 'Investigation of the Wallowa Mountains Snow Avalanche Climate'. 

WAC will be meeting with our local USFS this upcoming week with the hopes of beginning a partnership with them. Look for this seasons educational events on our website by November 1. These events promise to be fun, informative and most importantly will help to keep you safe out there.

Pray for a hummer of a season with loads of POW!

Keith 

By the end of October, look for our latest schedule of winter educational events for this season including awareness seminars, field sessions in the snow and Level 1, 2 and 3 avalanche certification courses (thanks to Charla's and Connelly's efforts). Even a day of fun and learning about avalanche safety at our local Fergi ski area (kids 12 and over most definitely welcome; yeah, adults too!).

WAC's meeting with our local USFS office occurs in late October. We are very excited about the possible partnership with these folks since nearly every avalanche center in the nation has some type of relationship with the United States Forest Service.

Penny is rounding up support for our next great season from sponsors of last year.

Ken is soliciting additional highly motivated and experienced observers for WAC.

Keith is continuing to work on grants from other sources with help from Matt Primomo. WAC hopes that our readers and supporters may step up to help in grant writing.  Contact:

director@wallowaavalanchecenter.org

Julian is continuing his highly energetic move to our new website. Isn't it great?!!!

Keith

October 1, 2010

It's hard to believe it's October already! Especially with temperatures in the upper 80's throughout much of northeast Oregon. Speaking of climatology, sea surface temperatures in the Eastern Pacific have been running below normal and the trend seems to be increasing slightly. Known as a "La Nina", this event strongly predicts a wetter than usual winter for the Pacific Northwest.  Climate Prediction Center maps show the highest precipitation areas west of the Cascades, however Eastern Oregon is slated for above average amounts as well. We'll see how this works out!

In the mean time, you can enjoy a few more days of perfect Fall weather. The WAC Weather station on Mt. Howard is showing 68 degrees right now at 8400 feet!.

We continue to add content to our web site. Recently we added archives for all the condition summaries WAC issued last year, available as PDF files. New condition summaries will be issued beginning mid-November. We hope to make updates to our education page soon, as it looks as if we will have a diverse range of course offerings related to avalanche education available in northeast Oregon. Look for more information soon.

Keith and Julian will be attending the International Snow Science Workshop later this month. We'll report back on all the latest and greatest from around the world in snow science.

September 15, 2010

We have spent many hours over the last few months working on a new website for WAC. Today we started the migration process from the old site to the new one. As you can probabaly notice, we have a whole new look along with a content management system that will make magaging our site a lot easier. The Backcountry Report form is now a simple online form that can be submitted directly from our website. We have a location module that allows us to fix a location on Google maps based on user supplied information on the input form. I hope that all these features will make it easier to submit reports.

We still have a few items that jumped out during the site migration. Some of the images are not displaying properly, and a few are missing. Many of these minor bugs should be fixed soon. Also we will have a link to all of last season's summaries posted in the near future. The site has a lot of room to grow and we always appreciate any input from our viewers. I would especially like to hear any input on the navigation around the site. How can we improve our menus? Is it easy to find things?  Please email me at webmaster@wallowaavalanchecenter.org.

Julian

Expect one last day of unseasonably warm weather today (Monday April 19). Tuesday through Wednesday a strong cold front with mountain snow will be our weather story.

During this warm spell numerous wet slides have been occurring on nearly all aspects at mid elevations. Some can be seen from Joseph on the Chief Joseph Mountain ridgeline.

Night-time temperatures the last several days have been at or above freezing. Therefore the existing snow surface has not had time enough to refreeze and solidify. This new snow will be landing on a very wet (unfrozen) old snow surface after yet another warm day today and above freezing temps tonight. The NWS has the storm beginning as rain early tomorrow morning even at 9000 feet. See the Aneroid Mtn milepost forecast on our Local Weather button.

Be mindful that this new snow will be very susceptable to avalanching when traveling in avalanche terrain.

We will update this blog if any new information comes our way between now and the end of April. Please see our final summary (issued 4-9-10) for additional things to watch for throughout the remainder of the season.