Wasatch Conditions 09-10

**powdork** · 02-07-2010, 10:29 AM

**springsproject** · 02-07-2010, 04:03 PM

sounds like there was just a slide near gobblers knob. broken femur possibly. ++++vibes++++ to those involved

**The Gnarwhale** · 02-07-2010, 05:39 PM

Yikes, hope everyone gets out alright.

Heard and felt a few big collapses skinning flat SW aspect ridgeline where total snow depth was less than 2'. No other instabilities noted.

**yemntftb** · 02-07-2010, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by powdork

was that you we saw you on Patsy Marley's then?

Didn't know where you were going at first, so we wanted to get what we came for before anyone else did. Afterward we were kicking ourselves for not hanging and picking up some local knowledge.

yeah that was us. we opted for some more n/ne facing shots on the backside of patsy marley down into grizzly gulch. Not quite as much vert as the shot you guys skied but probably better snow, however higher avy danger.

**Boissal** · 02-07-2010, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by springsproject

sounds like there was just a slide near gobblers knob. broken femur possibly. ++++vibes++++ to those involved

I was skiing down Millcreek with the dogs and almost got killed by a snowmobile carrying what looked like patrollers. Ran into 2 more on the way, raging up the canyon. Two helis were circling the upper canyon. Got to the parking lot to find the sheriff blocking the road and not answering any questions and 5 TV cameras lined up. I talked to a guy from ABC who didn't know much but had heard about a slide in Alexander and possible injury/burial. He wanted to interview me about the current avi conditions, I declined, packed the dogs and left. Vibes to all involved, hopefully it's not more than a broken bones and the vultures won't get to rant about irresponsible backcountry skiers putting themselves in harm's way.

**sfotex** · 02-07-2010, 07:44 PM

2 separate slides:
NW aspect of Alexander one caught, party of 3, 3rd one down got caught when the slope broke above him. He yelled for his partners to get out of the way. He got hung up in the trees and sustained multiple lower leg injuries. Victim and partners are friends with Bruce Tremper and been skiing in the Wasatch forever. Debris pile was ~30 feet deep. Partners said if he had been buried he wouldn't have survived. Deep slab that broke in the old snow.

2nd slide on Gobblers, one caught with shoulder injuries, self evacuated.

**sfotex** · 02-07-2010, 07:47 PM

Skied Silver/Days. Nothing exciting noted - just some great turns on knee deep powder - Pit on 30 degree slope/ west-northwest Days failed at the old snow/new snow interface @ CT27.

**TeleThor** · 02-07-2010, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by Boissal

I was skiing down Millcreek with the dogs and almost got killed by a snowmobile carrying what looked like patrollers. Ran into 2 more on the way, raging up the canyon. Two helis were circling the upper canyon. Got to the parking lot to find the sheriff blocking the road and not answering any questions and 5 TV cameras lined up. I talked to a guy from ABC who didn't know much but had heard about a slide in Alexander and possible injury/burial. He wanted to interview me about the current avi conditions, I declined, packed the dogs and left. Vibes to all involved, hopefully it's not more than a broken bones and the vultures won't get to rant about irresponsible backcountry skiers putting themselves in harm's way.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=9609713

That you in the blue coat and three dogs about half way through the clip?

Compound fractures... Ouch.

**Trackhead** · 02-07-2010, 08:46 PM

Still lots of scary stuff going on.

I'm sticking with the 40mm skinny sticks, fruit boots, and long carbon poles for the time being. Seems I have lost all my risk tolerance with this winter.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to those involved in the recent slides.

**byates1** · 02-07-2010, 09:42 PM

^^ hard to call on seriousness, but didn't you sketch down the phife couloir semi recently?

i obviously hate to see accidents like this, and checking the avi report recently, may have gotten a bit more brazen myself if i was still there,

it also validates in a way the uncertainty of the snowpack, glad to hear you are getting good workouts in and skiing..

i was not psyched in a way my last 10 days out there, felt like a trapped animal, but getting older, kept myself caged. i have less tolerance as well these days

sorry we did not meet up, in town next month, trundling through the p-keg, drinking, being social, skiing, etc..

**Trackhead** · 02-07-2010, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by byates1

^^ hard to call on seriousness, but didn't you sketch down the phife couloir semi recently?

That kind of stuff you have some control over risk, but these conditions seem pretty random. Years past I would have shrugged it off, but I know too many people that are smart, cautious, and still going for rides.

I'm staying away for the time being, both in part to lack of interest in the meadows, and the current twitch to get in nordic shape for a Uinta traverse this spring.

There's an update on T-tips about the Gobbler's slide. Glad you're ok Bob.

**Sh4ft** · 02-07-2010, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by TeleThor

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=9609713

That you in the blue coat and three dogs about half way through the clip?

Haha, good to see boissal reppin' the tips forward carry with the pack of labs. BTW, that yellow lab puppy needs a good home.....

**JoshP** · 02-07-2010, 11:42 PM

Originally Posted by Trackhead

That kind of stuff you have some control over risk, but these conditions seem pretty random. Years past I would have shrugged it off, but I know too many people that are smart, cautious, and still going for rides.

I'm staying away for the time being, both in part to lack of interest in the meadows, and the current twitch to get in nordic shape for a Uinta traverse this spring.

There's an update on T-tips about the Gobbler's slide. Glad you're ok Bob.

I pretty much said what you said word for word to a mutual buddy of ours tonight. Well, minus the part about the nordic skiing, and Uinta traverses.

Best wishes to the injured. Heal up quick, and glad everyone is OK.

**skifishbum** · 02-08-2010, 09:04 AM

Positive healing vibes sent to the wizzard and skier with multiple compound leg fractures from Alexander Basin Wilson slide.
Yo Th my crew ran into a nordi on top of SF Eastbowl last week Dat U?

**Trackhead** · 02-08-2010, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by skifishbum

Positive healing vibes sent to the wizzard and skier with multiple compound leg fractures from Alexander Basin Wilson slide.
Yo Th my crew ran into a nordi on top of SF Eastbowl last week Dat U?

No. But if this high pressure/temp gradient continues, there might be some good crust action in the Uintas next week.

**Boissal** · 02-08-2010, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by TeleThor

That you in the blue coat and three dogs about half way through the clip?

Compound fractures... Ouch.

It was. Glad to hear everyone is (somewhat) OK, based on the amount of chaos going on during the rescue I was fearing the worst.

**Boissal** · 02-08-2010, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Boissal

I was skiing down Millcreek with the dogs and almost got killed by a snowmobile carrying what looked like patrollers.

Just to clarify things since this post makes it sound like I'm bitching about the 'trollers going up the canyon on snowmobiles.

I heard them coming and got out of the way along with a couple of the dogs I was skiing with. The puppy was on his first day out and kinda froze there being curious, I think the driver thought he'd get out the way and didn't stir or slow down much. The pups finally jumped away and came within maybe a foot of the sled, I thought she was toast for a second since things were moving really fast. No harm done however, she'll know better next time and maybe will start listening when I call her... She got away from the 3rd sled pretty fast.

As always many thanks and props to the people involved in the rescue, it must be hairy for them to go up that canyon under serious time constraints when it's packed full of people falling all over themselves and dogs running every which way.
Thanks to sfotex for following up and apologies if I made you guys look bad, it was not my intention.

**skifishbum** · 02-08-2010, 09:10 PM

Another day in the sheeps pen
headed up fantasy
Skied Davenport for the umpteenth time
and up the trade route to check on some sharks
Mandatory big air into a suspect snow pack probably not wise
rapped in

a few sharkheads poking through left some ptex but never been disapointed here

Somebody yesterday was pretty blessed to ski out of this

Headed back up past a cool old guy

To end with the smokem if ya got em B&H Coli

Good stablity in all pits will try and do a full tr with stoke and pit data

**Dantheman** · 02-08-2010, 11:04 PM

Stay safe Dibs, that looks on the steep side. I know you said the pits were good but they aren't calming my nerves right now.

**wra** · 02-09-2010, 02:04 AM

Is that a fixed line?

**Mark H** · 02-09-2010, 02:39 AM

Another trip down south to see what a real winter looks like.

Dug some pits on east aspect at 10k. First one, 6 feet deep, failed to ground on isolation. Next one went through full CT with no failures. Weird. With our nerves being so shot from the Wasatch we opted out of the big lines we planned on.

However we found this path already slid so we indulged.

The scenery alone is worth the trip. Stunning.

The Mexican food alone is also worth the trip. Stunning.

**tyfalk** · 02-09-2010, 03:29 AM

Havent been on here in a while and my old username somehow got disabled. Anyway another great day in the Wasatch to get after it with the blue skys. My buddy Liam and I started at the Pole Line Trail where we found mild temps and no wind to speak of at all, even on the higher ridgelines. The plan was to go and ski of the back of black knob into Cadriff since it was skiing so well Sunday.

Dident see any lines up of the top of Cardiac bowl from the top of superior so we altered our plans...Liam startin up the booter...

Almost there....

The views arn't bad...room of doom...

Monte Cristo...

We decided to ski the skiers right shot into Cardiff off the top due to less wind loading up high and a more moderate pitch...it skied well, boot deep cream...Liam starting down...

Good snow and made it to work on time.

**skifishbum** · 02-09-2010, 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by wra

Is that a fixed line?

no my bro said the rope was new

I'm a climbing jong but it was fixed or attached to a tree but, rope left with us. Wouldn't want to make it too easy for other sheep to get in there and it came in handy for pit work in the Benson & Hedges

I've got to slap up some mud and honeydo up my spancer but will try and edit up some viddy and post a full tr.
Can't find Trackheads Tr psa where he states these are irrational people doing irrational things don't try this shit in your pen

Dtm I hear ya but it was encouraging to be getting ct +30's on compression tests and ground facets are starting to rounding and consolidating.
Doesn't mean there isn't still a lot of instabilities and hitting one of those not so sweet spots couldn't have shitty consequences, but your computor screens only gonna give ya so much info.