Cottonwood Canyon - Alta?

Hello, I started to learn to tree ski at Alta last year and had a blast.
This year the base was puny until about 3 weeks ago I think. Is this
winter non-weather making it too dangerous to do off-trail tree skiing
at Alta? All I keep seeing is news of "unusual avalanche risk". ****,
where I live it was 70 degrees the last 7 days and I am only 500 miles
from Canada border in the Great Lakes area...

On 3/19/2012 12:02 PM, Yadda wrote:
Hello, I started to learn to tree ski at Alta last year and had a blast.
This year the base was puny until about 3 weeks ago I think. Is this
winter non-weather making it too dangerous to do off-trail tree skiing
at Alta? All I keep seeing is news of "unusual avalanche risk".

Depends on where you do it. Inbounds where things are avi controlled
should be ok. Elsewhere, you're on your own, but my advice is that
unless you really know what's what avalanches stay in bounds.

//Walt

On 3/19/12 9:02 AM, Yadda wrote:
Hello, I started to learn to tree ski at Alta last year and had a blast.
This year the base was puny until about 3 weeks ago I think. Is this
winter non-weather making it too dangerous to do off-trail tree skiing
at Alta? All I keep seeing is news of "unusual avalanche risk". ****,
where I live it was 70 degrees the last 7 days and I am only 500 miles
from Canada border in the Great Lakes area...

Alta will have in bounds dangerous slopes marked closed; anything in
bounds that's open "should" be OK.

If you are asking about sidecountry, learn to check your own snow - get
the latest info from the pros, but when you actually get to the slope
you plan to ski evaluate it for slide potential. Dig a forecasting pit
and test the layers for weak layers, etc. Or only go out with an
avalanche qualified leader whose judgement you trust with your life...

If this doesn't mean anything to you get thee to an avalanche class,
offered everywhere that people ski.

on 3/19/12 5:54 PM comadrejo said the following:
On 2012-03-19 22:20:08 +0000, lal_truckee said:

Or only go out with an avalanche qualified leader whose judgement you
trust with your life...

It is better to be educated and trained than to trust the knowledge of
others in backcountry skiing environment.

So in other words, the Side Country is very dangerous now and for the
foreseeable ski season?

On 3/19/2012 6:20 PM, lal_truckee wrote:
On 3/19/12 9:02 AM, Yadda wrote:
Hello, I started to learn to tree ski at Alta last year and had a blast.
This year the base was puny until about 3 weeks ago I think. Is this
winter non-weather making it too dangerous to do off-trail tree skiing
at Alta? All I keep seeing is news of "unusual avalanche risk". ****,
where I live it was 70 degrees the last 7 days and I am only 500 miles
from Canada border in the Great Lakes area...

Alta will have in bounds dangerous slopes marked closed; anything in
bounds that's open "should" be OK.

If you are asking about sidecountry, learn to check your own snow - get
the latest info from the pros, but when you actually get to the slope
you plan to ski evaluate it for slide potential. Dig a forecasting pit
and test the layers for weak layers, etc. Or only go out with an
avalanche qualified leader whose judgement you trust with your life...

If this doesn't mean anything to you get thee to an avalanche class,
offered everywhere that people ski.

Welllll....
I have yet to see an avalanche class offered here. I have seen (the
results of) two avalanches at Killington. Both were caused by too
exuberant use of snowmaking. The first was on a short section of a
really steep trail that had iced (from a liquid snow event the day
before) then had several tons of really wet heavy manmade applied to the
top hundred feet or so. It slid neatly to the flat at the bottom.
Everybody had a good laugh.

The second was on a big wide steep trail that had iced as above but they
applied several feet of manmade over the course of several days. About
half way down the slope the surface cracked and slid. The resulting
slide wiped out several tower type snow guns (into a mass of twisted
pipe) and left a huge cravasse across the trail (huge is a relative term
here). Nobody laughed.

On Monday, March 19, 2012 5:48:14 PM UTC-6, Yadda wrote:

This ski season is fine. There is always the possibility of some freakish slide coming from somewhere unexpected, either inbounds or not. I'll venture that I have more days skiing than almost anyone on this board (many at Alta) and I've never been hit by one.

Park City Ski Area had one in the early 80's that came from inbounds above a road that was the "easiest way down" and happened to catch a lady on that road. She died. And I think I remember one at Alta that came out of the Devils Castle area and caught a kid on a beginner area too. When your time is up, it's up.

If you're just skiing the trees between runs inbounds at Alta you don't have to pay too much attention. The problem now is going to be what's under and careening into trees unexpectedly from uncertain conditions underfoot. One exception maybe those little chutes and treetops way out the ballroom traverse. There's alot of stuff above there that can come down. But I imagine that if it's open they've accessed that.

On 3/19/12 4:48 PM, Yadda wrote:

So in other words, the Side Country is very dangerous now and for the
foreseeable ski season?

I don't think anyone said that. Most said something like "do your homework."

If you're not just trolling, start he
http://utahavalanchecenter.org/advisory/slc

On Monday, March 19, 2012 5:08:15 PM UTC-7, VtSkier wrote:
On 3/19/2012 6:20 PM, lal_truckee wrote:
On 3/19/12 9:02 AM, Yadda wrote:
Hello, I started to learn to tree ski at Alta last year and had a blast.
This year the base was puny until about 3 weeks ago I think. Is this
winter non-weather making it too dangerous to do off-trail tree skiing
at Alta? All I keep seeing is news of "unusual avalanche risk". ****,
where I live it was 70 degrees the last 7 days and I am only 500 miles
from Canada border in the Great Lakes area...

Alta will have in bounds dangerous slopes marked closed; anything in
bounds that's open "should" be OK.

If you are asking about sidecountry, learn to check your own snow - get
the latest info from the pros, but when you actually get to the slope
you plan to ski evaluate it for slide potential. Dig a forecasting pit
and test the layers for weak layers, etc. Or only go out with an
avalanche qualified leader whose judgement you trust with your life...

If this doesn't mean anything to you get thee to an avalanche class,
offered everywhere that people ski.

Welllll....
I have yet to see an avalanche class offered here. I have seen (the
results of) two avalanches at Killington. Both were caused by too
exuberant use of snowmaking. The first was on a short section of a
really steep trail that had iced (from a liquid snow event the day
before) then had several tons of really wet heavy manmade applied to the
top hundred feet or so. It slid neatly to the flat at the bottom.
Everybody had a good laugh.

The second was on a big wide steep trail that had iced as above but they
applied several feet of manmade over the course of several days. About
half way down the slope the surface cracked and slid. The resulting
slide wiped out several tower type snow guns (into a mass of twisted
pipe) and left a huge cravasse across the trail (huge is a relative term
here). Nobody laughed.

I know there is daily avalanche status during the season at Tuckerman's and Huntington Ravines, but I don't know of anywhere else in the East where avalanches are seen as a threat to skiers.

On Monday, March 19, 2012 9:42:52 PM UTC-7, comadrejo wrote:
On 2012-03-19 23:48:14 +0000, Yadda said:

on 3/19/12 5:54 PM comadrejo said the following:
On 2012-03-19 22:20:08 +0000, lal_truckee said:

Or only go out with an avalanche qualified leader whose judgement you
trust with your life...

It is better to be educated and trained than to trust the knowledge of
others in backcountry skiing environment.

So in other words, the Side Country is very dangerous now and for the
foreseeable ski season?

I looked at anything outside of a controlled ski areas boundaries as
backcountry.

I don't live in Utah/Wasatch area so I don't have any knowledge of what
is safe or unsafe for the area besides the daily reports from the
regional avalanche center.


Don't forget that I always let you freaks know when I am going to be in the neighborhood. Spiderhole Bob Thompson sure paid attention to the daily reports: he stayed as far away from me as possible. Hid out the entire time. Like you do in Seattle, Ted.
Show the post, freak.
How about some contact info for your imaginary Seattle cop, Teddy? You know, the one who was supposed to have investigated, charged, tried, and jailed me for humiliating you?
Show the post, freak.

on 3/20/12 8:47 AM pigo said the following:
On Monday, March 19, 2012 5:48:14 PM UTC-6, Yadda wrote:

This ski season is fine. There is always the possibility of some freakish slide coming from somewhere unexpected, either inbounds or not. I'll venture that I have more days skiing than almost anyone on this board (many at Alta) and I've never been hit by one.

Park City Ski Area had one in the early 80's that came from inbounds above a road that was the "easiest way down" and happened to catch a lady on that road. She died. And I think I remember one at Alta that came out of the Devils Castle area and caught a kid on a beginner area too. When your time is up, it's up.

If you're just skiing the trees between runs inbounds at Alta you don't have to pay too much attention. The problem now is going to be what's under and careening into trees unexpectedly from uncertain conditions underfoot. One exception maybe those little chutes and treetops way out the ballroom traverse. There's alot of stuff above there that can come down. But I imagine that if it's open they've accessed that.

No, I am talking about going off trial into the tree-only areas of the
mountain. I would use an instructor again obviously but since economy
is bad can I trust someone that needs to earn money and may put my life
at risk? (e.g. credit/financial crisis). I love skiing and have found a
new love for the trees but think I will pack it in until next year. I
thought one or two already died this year in Cottonwood by skiing when
warnings went out not to (earlier is season).