# Yikes! Be Careful Out There...



## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Crazy stuff! I was sitting in bounds in Fernie the other day. Looked over and squinted at one of the ridges and saw a clear avalanche path that looked like an area about 30 ft in diameter slid about 100 ft. Nothing like that vid though!

Also saw a few in bounds runouts at Lake Louise a few weeks ago.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Meh, the snow pack is shit around here. What else is new? 

I've got a friend who wants to do some alpine lines around Bert this weekend. The avalanche danger has backed off to Moderate for the most part, but it's a scary moderate. Lot's of facets and shown in this video and the snow pack is still fairly thin even by Colorado standards. You'll definitely impact the snow pack all the way to the dirt. I already told him I'm not interested. The pack needs to get either deeper or go through some freeze thaw action before I'm going to hang my ass out on those lines.


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## walove (May 1, 2009)

we havent much new snow since christmas, but we have had wind. a skier took a ride on a wind slab just north of the ski area in the bridger range accessed from inbounds. only 8in deep but snow to take you down the slope. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SxQnt6GBlEY


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

That is one lucky skier...


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## walove (May 1, 2009)

killclimbz said:


> That is one lucky skier...


yes he was, a lot of lines off the ridge start out with exposure/ hanging snow fields and no fall zones.


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## walove (May 1, 2009)

went out today, got to use the sled to get into some new terrain. rode some fun lines in the trees. we have had warmer temps in higher elevation with the inversion that has set in with the high pressure, along with wind has created some funky variable snow on top. within 100 feet you would go from boot deep blower, sun cooked new snow, to firm wind buffed, to breakable crust with 8in of super light snow. dug two pits and found really well bonded snow, expect the top layer. Avy danger around bozeman is low, but it is going to get really interesting with the next snowfall.

While riding a ski cut would cause the breakable crust to break and propagate on steeper terrain. i still dont feel totally comfortable with ski cuts in a bc situation, i tend to avoid terrain where one would create any results, leaving me questioning my technique, especially about where an appropriate safe spot is on the down hill side of the cut. With my lack of ski cutting knowledge stated. i feel that the skiier in the hourglass video would benefited from a more defensive approach to the line.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Ski cuts are the most over used and under comprehended tool out there. They work in new snow only. They do nothing for persistent slabs and buried layers. 

Ski cuts are great, but have a very limited use in bc riding.


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## walove (May 1, 2009)

killclimbz said:


> Ski cuts are the most over used and under comprehended tool out there. They work in new snow only. They do nothing for persistent slabs and buried layers.
> 
> Ski cuts are great, but have a very limited use in bc riding.


while riding inbounds in terrain i know, i feel comfortable sloughing off new snow before a tight crux to avoid the snow coming from behind you and washing you through. in the backcountry sloughing new snow is sometimes enough to to trigger the slab and cause an avalanche on a lower layer. terrain steep enough slough is in the upper 40 deg area, which sit right above some prime avy slopes. 

went out yesterday and rode beehive basin just north of bigsky, the snow was very different then the bridgers. still had a stable base at the ground but the majority of the area had deep old sugary snow on top. steping out of your bindings would result in sinking to your knees or your waist. a little snow is predicted this week we will see how the snow reacts.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

For sure sloughing off the new snow can trigger deeper slabs. It can also have no effect and do nothing for you. Which I think a large portion of bc users believe that if they get a top layer to slide then it's safe.

It's a good tool, but I just see way too many people put to much stock in a ski cut.


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