Tipping the Scale....

Conditions are getting interesting out there. If you aren't headed some place warmer for the break and plan to play in the mountains here keep an eye on what is happening to the snowpack over the next several days.

http://www.sawtoothavalanche.com/adv_current.php

11th Grade Trip - Tornak Hut

Tornak Hut - Smoky Mountains, Idaho

We loaded the rigs to head out on Winter Trips during what can easily be described as the heaviest and fluffiest snowfall we have seen this year. I was fortunate enough to head for Tornak Hut with two OLA'ers (Ben and Gunnar) and some of their closest pals from the junior and senior class. Drew Daly of Sawtooth Mountain Guides and the Sun Valley Ski Patrol joined us as a co-leader as well.

We had an outstanding trip from start to finish. Poking around the high country of the Smoky Mountains after a fresh foot and a half of pow-wow on an old melt/freeze crust required leadership in route finding and navigation, accurate risk assessment of avalanche terrain, and effective group management.

Peeling layers at the Easley Bridge on the Harriman. 

I was super proud to see Gunnar and Ben rise to the challenge of leading a group of their peers in different situations that arose during the trip.

Ben was our resident navigation expert and with map in hand, his brain easily kept pace with the battery-powered GPS and smartphone apps that we employed as a back up. Other students quickly deferred to his judgement when the map emerged from the pack.

Ben's transitions were as buttery as the turns. 

When it came to tour planning, Gunnar was the go to guy. His newfound skill of analyzing slope angles from a topo map was put to good use in selecting uptracks and helping the group travel and ski safely on day two. Gunnar also wowed us with his Jedi-like beacon search skills logging a group-best recovery time of just under 120 seconds.

Gunnar plans the next move as Drew looks on. (Day 2)

Ben, Cassidy, and Cole prepping the Extended Column. (ECT 11- Q2 @30˚)

Everybody in the group was an excellent skier capable of shredding (or "knifing" as I learned on this trip) terrain way steeper than what the conditions allowed. The boys (yes the trip was all boys) did a remarkable job of keeping their "Y" chromosomes in check and didn't push the group or the leaders once about skiing a slope that was outside of our risk tolerance for the trip.

Good to be a Cutthroat...

Charlie H. and Benny K. making memories.....

After three days in the winter backcountry on a typical trip, I've found that most upper school students are clamoring for an 8" Delbello and a hot tub. All these guys could write on their evaluations was, "Why can't this trip be four days instead of three?"

Some Interesting Snow Tests Today

 I went out today to scout conditions for the 10th grade Winter Trip and found some really interesting snow.  There is about 10-12 new inches of snow in the Galena Summit area in the last two days, seasoned with some pretty strong winds.  The hazard rating was considerable.  I was solo so I stayed  in green light terrain--but most likely would have done so with a larger group--given the results I got.  

Pretty nice day

Saw at least three naturals:  D1-D2 range.  Widespread whoomping, some shooting cracks in wind affected areas.  Above is one D2 sized natural just to the east of Governor's Punch Bowl.  I did several hand shears and got easy results on the new/old inter-phase.

A close look:  Starting zone:  East exposure  Low 40deg.  Found a safe zone just above the crown line and did a few stability tests.

Compression Test
Extended Column Test:  Went on 9 with a Q-2  
 My conclusions below

Skiing was excellent--stay safe out there

Because Snow Slides Downhill....

 

Level I Avalanche Course - February 2012

SVT Lead Guide Joe St. Onge putting Benny K. "on the clock" 

Beginning the fine search with Joe offering encouragement.

This past weekend several of our own OLA students and faculty went through the 24 hour - Level I Avalanche Course offered by the American Avalanche Association, the nice folks Sun Valley Trekking, and hosted by Community School.

The course focus was not on the minutia of snow crystal formation and the semantics of snow pack metamorphosis (things that didn't pass the "so what" test), rather it was a distillation of the broader concepts  that directly inform individual and group decision-making and lead to best practices when traveling in avalanche terrain.

Course participants refined their rescue skills during single and multiple burial scenarios, scrutinized slope angles, analyzed sample and real-life tour plans, digested daily weather conditions and avalanche forecasts, and practiced open and candid communication in the field to manage each other and the entire group effectively.

For those in the Mountain and Rock endorsement, this is a outstanding introduction to the skills needed to minimize your risk in the backcountry or alpine environment during the winter months.

Establishing the 1X1 box. 

Assessing the "Tupperware Box" Victim

Patiently waiting skis....Galena. 

Maranda prepping the Rustchblock. (Day 2)

Bonzai! Final attempt to get the rustchblock to move. 

Gunnar: In Flux

Joe helps identify the "islands of safety".  Avalanche Peak. 

Peeling skins after a brief facet mining session on Proctor. (Day 3)

Regrouping before dropping into Trail Creek. 

Maranda on the Proctor descent. (Day 3) 

Why would you ever stand in a lift line? 

Really interesting video

Worth a watch for you snow dorks and anybody that wants to think about ski decision making...

-Hannes

Cooper Cutting a cornice

Cooper and Travis showing us how to safely stomp a cornice

Ders having fun

Faculty Ski Day Rides Again

This Sunday Tim, Nancy and I went back country skiing.  We didn't expect much as it hadn't snowed for almost a month--but I have a few secret powder stashes--the deep dark due north above the rain line that I though just might still be holding good snow. 

Nancy on the climb

Da Boys

Tim getting close to nature

What the skiing was like--bottom of our first run.  Snow quality exceeded all expectations!!  I sure hope to see some more OLAers next time we go out.