Hike to Treeline on Columbia

[highplaces]

Headed out Saturday morning hoping to climb Columbia via the west slopes. It had been snowing off and on since we arrived at the trailhead Friday night, so we opted to start the day in snowshoes, there was 6-10” of fresh wet snow on the way in. Arrived at treeline and began up the slope. On the ground conditions were 8-10” of fresh, wet, heavy snow. It had been snowing all morning, but the weather was deteriorating with heavier snow and winds once we reached treeline. I was comfortable continuing on with the winds and snow, but the fresh snow on that long, steep slope made me uncomfortable. I don’t know enough to say if it was safe or unsafe, but it made me uncomfortable enough to turn around.

For those of you who are experienced, I’m wondering what are the top factors you would evaluate in that situation to determine whether it was safe to continue up or not. Wetter snow vs. dryer snow, fresh snow vs. freeze/thaw cycle, sun vs. clouds, direction of slope, time of year, etc. Disclamer: I understand a post in an online forum cannot begin to cover all that is involved in avy training, nor would I rely solely on this info to assess conditions.

[seekanddestroy99]

I was in the ski group that was on the way up when you were on the way down. We ended up turning around because of weather, but avy conditions were sub-optimal as well.

Per the Columbia TR posted by Bill earlier, the ascent route did have about 6 inches of wet snow on top of a not-entirely-frozen bed surface. But because it wasn't entirely frozen, and because that slope was mostly concave, we didn't find any reactive snow on that particular slope. We traversed over to the SW Gully before the ascent got too steep, however, and found minor cracking in the wind-affected snow, and were able to get the new snow to release on convex rollovers. If the slope had been entirely frozen with that new snow on it, featured convex rollovers, and/or had it been sunny/nice/not cloudy and cold, the new snow would have easily avalanched, like it did to us the next day on Silver Creek Bowl of Yale.

[Yalegirl09]

Headed out Saturday morning

How was the road to the summer trail head?

Here's the TH status update: http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/trailhead ... hparm=sw05" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[highplaces]

How was the road to the summer trail head?

Easily passable with 4WD. It was snowing on the drive up Fri night and warm and slushy on the way down on Sat.

[highplaces]

I was in the ski group that was on the way up when you were on the way down. We ended up turning around because of weather, but avy conditions were sub-optimal as well.

Per the Columbia TR posted by Bill earlier, the ascent route did have about 6 inches of wet snow on top of a not-entirely-frozen bed surface. But because it wasn't entirely frozen, and because that slope was mostly concave, we didn't find any reactive snow on that particular slope. We traversed over to the SW Gully before the ascent got too steep, however, and found minor cracking in the wind-affected snow, and were able to get the new snow to release on convex rollovers. If the slope had been entirely frozen with that new snow on it, featured convex rollovers, and/or had it been sunny/nice/not cloudy and cold, the new snow would have easily avalanched, like it did to us the next day on Silver Creek Bowl of Yale.

Thank you, this is exactly the sort of thing I am looking for. Quite a coincidence that after running into each other on Columbia on Saturday, we both headed to Yale on Sunday. Glad you two made it out safely from Yale.

[seekanddestroy99]

^^^ great minds, great minds