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[DMan]

Just got an email from a student who took my level 1 course 2 weeks ago. Her boyfriend backed off Trap Dike as it felt unsafe, and the following party continued, triggered a big one near the top, and rode it to the bottom unhurt. 2-3 foot crown line and obvious cornicing at the top.

Another former student mentioned he and his friends triggered a sizeable slide at Jay Peak in the backcountry the other day that could have killed him. I’m waiting on some photos and a detailed report.

As March begins I want to remind everyone that there were zero avalanche incidents last year on Mount Washington until March 1st. Then we had 19 people involved in slides in just March. 1 near fatality (1000 foot fall from Pinnacle), one near miss skier in Gulf of Slides (caught, carried, but ended up on surface),some yahoos at the base of Left Gully getting nailed during Considerable + conditions, and a handful of other incidents.

10+ inches coming tonight, so the stage is set of an accident if people don’t choose their location carefully while moving through avalanche terrain. Keep at eye on the bulletin at www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org.

We’ve had some excellent avalanche courses this season. Check out http://davidlottmann.wordpress.com/ for photos/conditions from recent trips.

The next two courses are sold out but we have three more courses this season with spots available. You can see the dates and more info on the courses here: http://www.emsclimb.com/aiare1.html

Be safe out there

P.S. the backcountry skiing is getting great right now!

[JChepes]

Coming in like a lion! Been a lean year for ice so
bring in the snow for march. My board is stoked!
Finally can get into some trees.

[tinker]

Alas, had they only read Freedom of the hills......

[sneoh]

Alas, had they only read Freedom of the hills......

Ouch!  STOP IT!!

I like to see a min of 6" of snow down here by Boston.
The last 'big' storm (with plenty of damaging winds) down here was back on Oct 29!!!

[strandman]

Ya'll better assume the X position.. NOW

[Dave]

Just got back from 4 days at Jay with 40" of new powder!

[alclimbup2]

Ah, the "Jay Cloud" is busy

Thanx for the reminders Dave, is easy to "let the guard" down with the mellow winter we have had, sounds like California and Colorado also getting some big snows after their way below average winter.

Finally get to do some local X country skiing in my excellent network of trails right in my back yard in southern NH, normally would have already been out dozens of times, only once so far this year after the only 4 inch storm we have had all winter, bring it on!     

[Admin Al]

probably only 3 inches of fluffy stuff herein the Valley right now, but it's going to come down all day into the evening. I would bet we'll get 8" by the time all is done. March is usually THE month for snow up here... 

[perswig]

Nice reminder, DMan.
There's probably a lot of tunnel vision potential this year with the ice/snow season being as spotty as it's been.

Even though I'm kitten-weak from the flu, today's snow seemed like the lowest-density fluff I've seen for a while.  Would be excellent, atypical-for-the-NE snow to ski, but will move around really easily and be pretty twitchy on the mountain.

Keep it safe out there, kids.
Dale

[eyebolter]

The day I almost died in Huntington there was about five inches of snow in Pinkham Notch, December 7th (Pearl Harbor day).

It doesn't take much for it to blow into the ravines and become deadly, especially after a warm spell with an icy layer underneath.

[strandman]

 :)Yo- eye.. you got some sweet fuckin' luck..

[lucky luke]

Ya'll better assume the X position.. NOW

X for no ice climbing, go to rock climbing now.

Wet avalanches are the worse.

[DMan]

Ya'll better assume the X position.. NOW

X for no ice climbing, go to rock climbing now.

Wet avalanches are the worse.

X position makes wet avalanches if you’re doing it right. I can’t believe I went there.

OK, in seriousness, we’re still a few degrees short of Spring type “wet” avalanches, though they can happen anytime it rains. Hoping Saturday’s warming is only at the lower elevations.