Avalanche Advisory for 2014-12-07 06:57:33

At first look at the snow conditions from Bunny Flat, one might say, "Eww" or "Hmmm...". Need not to worry however. Keep the faith, stick your skins on, put your head down and enjoy the fresh air as you gain elevation onto the mid/upper slopes of Mt Shasta. It will be soon that one will find some rather wintery and enjoyable conditions as the 8,500 foot mark is reached. Above here, riding conditions have been good for early December!

Yesterday (12-6-14) the day opened with clear skies and what seemed like to be a gorgeous day on Shasta, however clouds and fog enveloped the mountain and brought poor visibility and light rain/snow to the mountain. It wasn't until later in the afternoon that the clouds parted and Shasta revealed its majesty!

The mountain thus is hosting a variety of conditions, all depending on elevation. From Bunny Flat (6,950 ft) to about 8,300 feet, conditions are marginal at best. One will find breakable crust and everything in between causing challenging sking at these lower elevations. Don't forget all the shallow buried objects such as rocks and woody material! Bunny Flat is hosting 6-12 inches of snow. At the 8,000 foot level, a solid 2-3 feet of snow has been recorded at multiple sites on the South side of the mountain. At 10,000 feet, a well consolidated 4-5 feet was recorded in the Old Ski Bowl and Avalanche Gulch.

Full snow data pits in the Old Ski Bowl resulted in nothing notable. Several extended column tests at 9,990 feet, southeast facing produced no collapsing, shear and/or propagation. A local observer also had the same lack of results in Avalanche Gulch at the same elevation. Snow depth totals at the Old Ski Bowl site was 145cm. At the Avalanche Gulch site, 120cm.

Some blowing snow was noted at mid and upper elevations. Winds were moderate out of the North/Northwest, thus loading South, Southeast and Easterly slopes.

Conditions report video: http://youtu.be/EcxRimiu3JY

Avalanche Gulch from Lake Helen on 12-6-14 Photo: Chris Carr

Old Ski Bowl on 12-6-14  Photo: Nick Meyers via Snapseed App

Report your observations to the MSAC! A photo, a few words... send them in! (nimeyers@fs.fed.us or 530-926-9614)

Castle Lake area still has no snow.

Mt Eddy area is hosting about a 10" of snow. I have not been up into that area yet and have received no reports.

It's early season and most know what that means... shallow buried objects and thick, wet snow. Both these factors together make risk for injury high! Take it easy and safe yourself for when the gettin' is good!   

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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.

The Five Red Flags of Avalanche Danger any time of year include:  1) Recent/current avalanche activity  2) Whumpfing sounds or shooting cracks  3) Recent/current heavy snowfall  4) Strong winds transporting snow  5) Rapid warming or rain on snow.