Deadman Creek 2/20/2010

[slayer]

I skied up Deadman creek today and found some decent skiing in a northeast facing colouir at about 7,000 feet. I spotted a debris field from a natural that I later Identified as a glide release on limestone bedrock. The debris was rock hard chunks, even after running over 1,500 feet. HS-N-D3-R3.






I did a few hand shears on the traverse across to the "Gnar Couloir". Results were moderate/hard Q3's.


I decided to take a closer look at the snow on the climbers right of the couloir to ensure that my bootpack up the 60 degree slope was completely safe. The big surprise here was the 4 meter snow depth! Probably due to avalnche/sluff debris coming from above. My results in the pit were good- CT7Q3 15cm, CT21Q3 20cm, ECTN21 15cm-



Hard to see, but bootpack on the right, ski tracks on the left. The skiing was quite educational. Hard breakable crust on settled powder.




Good example of alpine wind loading on the western face of Hurwal.

Have fun out there!

Jordan

[Sunshine]

What it looks like whats your pictures is a loose snow avalanche not a hard slab. id say L-N-D1-R? Looks like that snow heated up on those rocks and decided to fall, not a slab that released off a bedsurface.

[slayer]

I called it a hard slab due to the several refrigerator sized chunks of hard snow that were in the debris pile, and the fact that most of the debris pile was basketball sized chunks of very very hard snow. Also, on the way out I spotted the meter+ high crown and flanks. Here is a picture of the crown/bed surface taken from hurricane creek. Its a crappy picture and was taken from far away, but it is possible to see the crown above the bare patch of limestone near the center of the picture. Unfortunately I have a pretty crappy camera, but trust me, it's there.


Another observation that led to calling it a hard slab was the damage that the debris did to the snowpack when it came over the cliff in the picture-


As you can see the debris slammed a 8 foot deep hole into very hard snow when it came off the c liff.
Here is a picture of the type of loose snow slide you are talking about. On a similar aspect and elevation in the same basin. Very different debris fields.


Perhaps another pertinent observation would be that this avalanche happened several weeks ago when a hard slab was maybe easier to trigger?

later,
Jordan

[Sunshine]

I would like an outside opinion to read your argument.

[slayer]

Would you like to see it for yourself?

[director]

Sorry for my delay in response to this forum entry since I was soooo busy playing in the Wasatch.

This is my opinion and maybe our Board members and advisors can chime in.

I believe the forum is for all - to share ideas, present information, photos, analysis, ask questions, offer opinions, etc. on what each person views out there. I, as moderator, wish only to be sure that vulgarities, libel and the like, don't occur. I appreciate the open discussion, rapport, and banter. We, I believe, are the only avalanche center that offers this type of service to our users. I think it is of great benefit. Perhaps all of us will learn from each other by sharing in this type of venue.

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Wallowa Avalanche Center
A place to share information about winter travel in Northeast Oregon. Please note that information posted here is from the general public and is in no way endorsed by the Wallowa Avalanche Center. Always evaluate conditions yourself.

Keith Stebbings