13/14 Tahoe Thread -- Raddest Thread On The Internets!!!

[Ottime]

Talking mountain was slidey today

Did you set that one off as well? Are you an avi magnet?

From
My couch I am reading all the comments about the SAC forecast. Also not being out there yesterday, te forecast seems to match the observations.

Sunday was rated Low with Pockets of Moderate. While we did not experience any slide activity while out, it was certainly on our mind and in out decision making. A big question I always ask while out there is, if it does slide, how big and bad will it be for me? Same question I assess when I enter a gnarly line or jump off something.

Anyway, Sunday had a lot of wet snow activity, including killer roller balls and pin wheels.

Be careful out there and use your heads. This is a odd winter. And this wet stuff, until bonded, is kind of dangerous. Even a small slide has a lot of momentum and density.

[TahoeJ]

Blow it?

First of all, if you read the avalanche problems from today's bulletin, the forecast seems very accurate and also a lot more useful than just reading the danger rating.

Yeah, I realized after I typed it that "blow it" was a poor choice of words (fueled by a couple of drinks). Totally respect what SAC does. I guess I have more of an issue with the standard rating terminology and how the casual observer might interpret that (there's another thread here discussing that). Of course I always read the full report if I'm venturing out.

Sometimes I wonder if they ever feel like they should skew towards considerable if it's close but not quite there by definition, but then that would ruin the integrity of the reports. I'm sure the thought has crossed the minds of many people making that call. That's what I should have said.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

[alTAos]

Yeah, I realized after I typed it that "blow it" was a poor choice of words. Totally respect what SAC does. I guess I have more of an issue with the standard rating terminology and how the casual observer might interpret that (there's another thread here discussing that). Of course I always read the full report if I'm venturing out.

I think the key is that these aren't written for the casual observer. If you are casual observing, you should be staying home. I think they were very accurate with the report yesterday when looked at in whole.

[SchralphMacchio]

Of course I always read the full report if I'm venturing out.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

Thanks for the condolences ... Mikey was a Tahoe skier at Alpine, Squaw, and Sugar Bowl.

Anyways, it's easier said than done with respect to reading the full report ... it's a lot easier to remember "MODERATE" than "2' windslabs on top of graupel on east faces" ... most of us claimed to have read the full report on the day of the accident, but we didn't really own it or talk about it. Same thing happened with the folks at Tunnel Creek / Stevens Pass in 2012. So, that's part of the reason why I use the avalanche problem format now and jump past the danger rating.

[Hugh Conway]

Yeah, I realized after I typed it that "blow it" was a poor choice of words (fueled by a couple of drinks). Totally respect what SAC does. I guess I have more of an issue with the standard rating terminology and how the casual observer might interpret that (there's another thread here discussing that). Of course I always read the full report if I'm venturing out.

Sometimes I wonder if they ever feel like they should skew towards considerable if it's close but not quite there by definition, but then that would ruin the integrity of the reports. I'm sure the thought has crossed the minds of many people making that call. That's what I should have said.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

If you are quibbling about all this you've "blown it" as a BC skier. It's a guide, a rough one.

[gimpy]

Holy shit!!!!
Did Hugh Conway actually just say something I agree with

It must be the painkillers

[The Dad]

It must be the painkillers

His or yours?

[climberevan]

I just about fell out of my chair as well, Toby. This may be the first time I've agreed with Hugh as well!

Anyway, I WAS out yesterday, and I agree with the SAC forecast of Moderate. We managed to set off a little slide (1' crown, about 60' wide, ran for 50') that broke on a convex roll between some sizable rocks--duh!). Other laps resulted in nothing, not even slough.

Frankly I find the whole discussion about avy hazard here in the Sierras can be a bit hysterical. Coming from Western Colorado, where I learned to ski and learned to ski in the backcountry, the Sierra seems boring--in a good way. We almost never deal with nasty persistent layers far down in the snowpack like in a Continental zone, so hazards are almost always new snow or transported snow. This does not mean that there is no danger here, only that it is simpler to assess, and the danger zones are more obvious (and therefore easy to avoid).

The avy report offers excellent information, but I suggest you completely ignore the Low/Moderate/Considerable/High rating and just READ THE WHOLE ADVISORY. The good stuff is where they talk about what/where the hazards are (wind slab, new snow, wet slides, etc). If you know what is likely to be hazardous you can avoid it. Even on Considerable days there are plenty of places that have virtually no hazard (either because they won't slide or because there is no consequence if they do). Likewise on Moderate or Low days there are places where you shouldn't go. Terrain awareness is the #1 tool.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

(Disclaimer: I'm not an avalanche expert, just a skier. If you go out into the backcountry, you will almost certainly die a horrible death in an avalanche, so I recommend you stay on the groomers. Better yet, stay at home--even the roads are too dangerous!)

[LightRanger]

Better yet, stay at home--even the roads are too dangerous!

Because of the Asians.

[avacadotoast]

My first gaper pro video...which included about 20 hours worth of the growing pains due to a 5 year old computer, file converting, no video editor and whatnot. I tried about 6 file converters but the only one with useable quality left a gay watermark...oh well.

Anyway, sick day! Blast from the past Huckwheat made an appearance. Fyi - the beginning was me dorking around from 8:30-10 with my girl. Stick around past 'ol blue eyes...it ramps up around 2:40.

[TahoeBC]

SAC posted a photo of some pretty big Pinwheels!
http://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org...s-becker-ridge

[TahoeJ]

If you are quibbling about all this you've "blown it" as a BC skier. It's a guide, a rough one.

True. But I'm sure the forecasters still worry about those who don't bother, which is probably a scary percentage of people out there (although it seems to be much worse in Colorado than CA for some reason, which is ironic considering the snow pack differences). "Moderate" sounds so much more tame than it often is - they should just ditch the names altogether.

So... how bad are the rain runnels out there today?

[truckee_splitter]

Massive temp differential between top and bottom. 6200 at Squaw reading 38, and the top is 23! Was it cold enough to freeze everything up? Been home 2 days nursing a bum shoulder from a stupid 'jibbing' incident.

[Wobby]

I need to know, has anyone ventured out east into the Great Basin lately? I have a couple projects shaping up out there, and am very curious about the snowpack. I can't imagine its too stellar right now, but maybe is deeper out east? any reports would be helpful.

[rod9301]

At 9:30 this morning, squaw was pretty frozen. You could holdan edge on groomers, but the ungroomed had a beautiful sheen that I could deal with only by side slipping.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using TGR Forums

[snapt]

Frankly I find the whole discussion about avy hazard here in the Sierras can be a bit hysterical. Coming from Western Colorado, where I learned to ski and learned to ski in the backcountry, the Sierra seems boring--in a good way. We almost never deal with nasty persistent layers far down in the snowpack like in a Continental zone, so hazards are almost always new snow or transported snow.

Didn't we lose 3 folks in 1 weekend last year to a shitty persistent week layer from hell? (Bill at Alpine, Rocker at Donner, and I believe a brapper) More folks in the BC with a basic level of snow understanding combined with more complex snowpacks from global weirding is going to continue this trend. The whole Sierra's are boring attitude wait 24-48 hours and hop on a line is increasingly dangerous.

[FranklezZ]

I think you are missing climberevan's point. He didn't say avy danger is non-existent or that we don't suffer from persistent weak layers in CA. He (as do I) just finds that the general discussion and fear level often to be a bit "out-of-whack" with the actuality of what we deal with here most days.

Discussions in this Tahoe thread are at times more focused on analyzing the SAC report and snow pontification rather than real observations. CO,UT,WY local threads are more focused on skiing and obs rather than arguing about the often, irrelevant to your line/choice, particulars.

The others often have much touchier snow packs. Stats back it up too...

[Ottime]

I thought that climberevans points were that he is a badass local and Schralph doesn't know how to drive.

Yes, our snow pack if usually quite simple to analyze. Might be the reason I see so many folks in the lift accessed BC without any gear, on any given day the sun pops out. The conversation here does not seem to me to be too panty wadded. Sure, you might need to wade through some posts to get to what you need. And I don't think of this thread as an OBs thread, more of, maybe I'm drunk and want to spout off on TGR thread. Overall, I'm more concerned with folks trivializing the danger out there and going into the BC with little to know knowledge or gear.

Whatever. You skiing Saturday?

Speaking of Observations, any one get out today outside the resorts above tree line? Did the S and E aspects soften? Are the N aspects bullet proof above 8K, or is there some softness to it?

[Jim S]

Nice work Corky.


HOURGLASS and Rose b/c was primo today. Even though Squaw was rained out and Mt Rose lifts shut down it wasn't too windy at all; everything was nicely buffed out.

[iwoody808]

TGR community,

Just wanted to offer a sincere thanks to the crowd for the inside info on my questions regarding my family trip to Tahoe -- ahem is not this "beta?" And please don't worry. It's not my first snow rodeo -- snowdeo? -- driving in the mountains. But thanks for the concern about my family.

Woody

[406]

I left around 10:30. Anyone know what time headwall and sibo opened?

Tuesday at Squaw was amazing. I skied up to headwall lift line at 1030, right when it opened and got second tracks down north bowl off headwall. Stopped by Siberia and I got lucky and got first chair on siberia and had first tracks in the bowl and it was still not very tracked for the next few laps. Upper half of headwall chair was really good snow all morning, such fun terrain.

Seems like I got lucky with the SquAlpine trip timing, Sat-Tu, all good days...although a little damp.

[TahoeJ]

^^ I'm sure it was a blast but we sure have lowered the bar around here when it comes to "amazing." Let's hope we get some colder temps with that alleged El Nino next year.

[Ottime]

TGR community,

Just wanted to offer a sincere thanks to the crowd for the inside info on my questions regarding my family trip to Tahoe -- ahem is not this "beta?" And please don't worry. It's not my first snow rodeo -- snowdeo? -- driving in the mountains. But thanks for the concern about my family.

Woody

Did anyone tell you to eat at Freshies? It has been a while since I've been there, as I don't get much further east that Red Lake, but I've always enjoyed my meal there. And a decent beer selection.

[SchralphMacchio]

^ oh yeah, the reason I went to Orchid's is that Freshies stopped seating at 8:30 PM last Sunday. Guess I spent a little too much time in the hot tub.

Trying to work out details to see if I can make a hearty CPSSR tour happen this weekend. Lots of work n shit ... but the weather looks oh-so-cornulicious.

[FranklezZ]

I thought that climberevans points were that he is a badass local and Schralph doesn't know how to drive.

Whatever. You skiing Saturday?

My car is in way worse shape than Schralph's... mostly, I blame the Pakastani mini-van's.

Nope, headed out to sketchier snow. See you in a few weeks.

and douche your box!!!