Owens: New Forum Request

I think it would be really cool if you could open up a new section of the Straightline BB's for "Snowpack Conditions." People could enter their observations of the snowpack from their days in the field. With all of the people in various areas who contribute to this board we could ammass valuable date to aid backcountry travelers in avalanche prediction. I'm sure Utards would find this very usefull, as there are lots of us skiing in a small area. It would be harder to compile extensive data in some places such as CO, but it would still be helpfull. So is this a viable idea? Do you think anything negative could come of this?

Anyway, untill this (hopefully) happens, I'll just post here:

Monday November 3rd, 2003. Upper Big Cottonwood.
We drove up BCC and then turned onto the Guardsmans Pass road. At the final snow control gate, a Sheriff was parked. "I do not advise you to go any farther." He warned "But can you stop us?" We asked. "I don't advise you go any farther." He replied. So we drove past him and onward up the ever worsening road. We parked and hiked up the right side of the road. At about 9,000 feet I dug my pit. The slope angle was about 32 degrees. The snow was about 30 inches deep. In some areas of isolated drifting it was deeper. No temperature measurements, but it was pretty chilly. The slope was facing east/northeast. I was pretty far down from a ridge so there wasn't any wind loading from a different aspect that I could tell. The top half of the pack was still unconsolidated and yielded to my fist with little or no effort. Near the bottom third of the pack, the snow became noticably more consolidated. In the bottom 4 inches one gloved finger was required to poke in to the wall of the pit. I also observed an even harder layer about 1 inch above ground level. It looked dirty and could have been a thaw-freeze layer left from earlier snowfall. No fracturing observed with the ski shear test in the top half of the pack. But I was able to get the whole block to slide out on the bottom dirt layer just mentioned with a bit of force. However, although there was a failure at this layer, it wasn't much of a block that fell out since the snow is so unconsolidated. I judged this slope was safe to ski and I slashed it up. Thigh deep pow, and the bottom of the pack is starting to condense into a base, I couldn't be happier.

note - I didn't have my ruler, thermometer, or inclinometer, and the elevation is also a guess. But fuck, its october.

not dead yet

Well, here's my 2 cents. It seems like a good idea for those who would take your information as just that, information. They would still need to determine for themselves if the snowpack was stable enough when THEY were up there. I see it as a liability.

Example:
Jong Q. Gaper just bought an AT rig that matches his one piece. He knows of some good hikes in his local area. Jong checks out some skiing websites to see if he can find snow conditions for his hike. He finds this new forum. Reads some info

Quote:

blah blah blah blah blah blah I determined it was safe to ski blah blah blah blah

Mr. Gaper never realized that this information is OLD, and takes this as gosple. The snowpack has since changed and has become unstable at his location. Jong then sets off a big avie, and buries X number of people.

See where this can go? Trip reports are awesome, but this kind of thing could be dangerous. Let's leave the snow stability info to the people who know that you need to check it every time for your location.

Yes, I'm a bc moron, so jong away.