Avalanche Advisory for 2014-02-07 07:01:11

Well,... Fall is drawing to a close in February and winter appears to have commenced here in and on Mt Shasta beginning yesterday at noon at our Old Ski Bowl (OSB) weather station, nicely positioned at the bottom of the Old Ski Bowl on the south side of Shasta at 7,600 feet. At the weather station, new snow depth totals are still meager, but we are certain this will change by the end of the weekend. OSB water total thus far is .29 inches, giving us a couple inches of fresh snow. In Mt Shasta City, we received .04 inches of water and a skiff of snow, though it's raining as we speak. Warm ground temperatures have kept all our new snow melting quickly in town.

It's still going to take a good dollup of snow for any avalanche danger to be present. Once we get a decent snowpack going, we'll begin to talk about snow in detail! We are expecting a foot or more of new snow above 6,000 feet by the end of the weekend.

As always when our snowpack is shallow, watch out for objects that can cause injury near the surface of the snow!

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All trailheads are still accessible by vehicle. Be cautious of any overnight trips on the mountain with snow involved. Storms can easily dump large amounts of snow to the area and make it difficult to drive off the mountain! While Northgate, Brewer Ck and Clear Ck trailheads are officially closed, the bathrooms are still open with packout bags inside, and one can still access the Mt Shasta Wilderness. However, your summit pass and wilderness permits must be purchased at McCloud or Mt Shasta Ranger Stations. NO DOGS are allowed in the Mt Shasta Wilderness OR Sierra Club Property. Thanks!

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Terrain:  Remember most of the terrain that we like to play on is greater than 30 degrees.  Avalanches are possible on anything steeper than 30 degrees.  Avoid cornices, rock bands, terrain traps and runout zones of avalanche paths.

Weather:  Most of our areas avalanche danger will occur 24-48 hours after a storm. We still can see persistent weak layers from time to time and we always will be sure to let you know about that!  Heed the basic signs: Wind (significant snow transport and depositions), Temperature (rain/snow/rain/snow, which in turn weakens the snowpack), and Precipitation (Snow or rain add weight and stress to the current snowpack).

Snowpack:  If snow accumulates, give the snowpack a chance to adjust to the new snow load before you play on or near steep slopes (greater than 30 degrees).  Most direct action avalanches occur within 24-48 hours of recent snowfall.  Watch for obvious signs of snowpack instability such as recent natural avalanche activity, collapsing of the snowpack (often associated with a “whumphing” sound), and shooting cracks. If you see these signs of instability, limit your recreation to lower angle slopes.

Human Factor: Don’t forget to carry and know how to use avalanche rescue gear. You should NOT be skiing or climbing potential avalanche slopes without having beacons, shovels, and probes.  Only one person in a group should be exposed to potential avalanche danger at a time.  Remember, climbing, skiing, and riding down the edge of slopes is safer than being in the center.  Just because another person is on a slope doesn’t mean that it is safe.  Be an individual!  Make your own decisions.  Heed the signs of instability: rapid warming, “whumphing” noises, shooting cracks, snowing an inch an hour or more, rain, roller balls, wind loading, recent avalanche activity.