Avalanches

Lindsey Curtis, Kristen Kirkham, Matt Tetzl, & Dominic Percell

Alta Ski Resort

Because of discovery of silver in 1865, Alta became a mining town of 5,000 people Its natural territory for ski runs have made it a premium ski area in the State of Utah. The first ski run opened in 1940 At 8,950 feet, Alta is one of the highest cities in Utah, and one of the highest in America. The Ski areas rise to 10,550 feet Due to Altas high elevation it receives heavy snow storms It averages over 507 inches per year When Silver was found there was an influx of people and more timber was being cut and a know fact of deep snows set the stage for avalanches.

Deer Valley
Located in Park City Base elevation 6,570 Top elevation 9,570 Average of 300 inches of snow/year Most recent avalanche Nov. 17 Held the 2002 Olympics

White River National Forest

Located in Northwest Colorado Used to be the home of the Ute Indians Named after the White River that passes through it Contains 11 ski areas Ten peaks higher than 14,000 feet Over 2.3 million acres of land Most visited recreational forest in the nation

Snow Crystals
Snow crystals are dependent on the temperature, humidity and other atmospheric conditions, but all are generally hexagonal. In areas like the mountains that get a lot of snow on the ground, it forms a snowpack. The layers within the snowpack have different qualities due to the shapes of the crystals in the layer. when super-cooled water comes into contact with snow crystals in the air, it creates rime. Heavy rime deposits can cause pellet-like snow called graupel, which creates a very unstable layer.

Snowpack Layers
Snowpack layers also have different qualities because of changes that take place once the snow is on the ground. Changes in the weather lead to changes on the snowpack's surface. If the top of the snowpack melts and re-freezes, it can form a layer of slick ice. If air just above the snowpack reaches the dew point, the snowpack can develop hoar, which is a light, feathery crystal that does not bond well to snow.

Snowpack Layers cont.

If the top of the snowpack freezes and thaws repeatedly, it can develop clusters of frozen particles with space in between, which creates an unstable surface for the next layer of snow. Temperature Gradient: the difference in temperature between the upper and lower layers. Snowflakes within the snowpack undergo different types of metamorphosis depending on the size of the temperature gradient. In snowpacks with a high temperature gradient -- a large difference in temperature -- crystals tend to develop facets. The flat surface of a facet cannot bond well to other surfaces. Heavily faceted crystals located deep in the snowpack are called depth hoar and create dangerous instability.

Causes of Avalanches
3 Ingredients of avalanches: -snow -sloped surface -trigger

Snow
A weak layer within the snowpack, caused by ice, surface or depth hoar, faceted crystals or graupel also contributes to the process. If the weak layer is near the surface, it causes a sluff -Sluff: a cascade of loose, powdery snow in an inverted "V" shape Sluffs are like sand rolling down a dune, and they usually cause minimal damage to people and property.

Snow Cont.
In a slab avalanche, a strong, cohesive layer of the snowpack slides down over a bed layer of snow. The strength of a slab avalanche depends on the properties of the slab and the depth of the weak layer, also called the failure layer. Slabs of wet snow cause generally slower avalanches than dry slabs, but they typically hit obstacles with more force.

Sloped Surface
Avalanches usually start on mountain slopes that are at a 25 to 60 degree angle to the ground. Most slab avalanches take place on leeward, rather than windward, slopes. Slopes less than 25 generally aren't steep enough to produce avalanches, and slopes steeper than 60 degrees usually sluff their snow constantly, giving slabs little chance to develop. Most avalanches begin on 35 to 45 degree slopes.

Trigger
Avalanches can have a natural trigger, like a sudden change in the weather, a falling tree or a collapsing cornice. In most fatal avalanches, people create the trigger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ktuOCZrN2OU

3 Segments
1. Starting Zone: often above the tree line and near the ridge, where
the slab breaks away from the rest of the snow.

2. Track: or the course the avalanche follows down the mountain. You
can often see avalanche tracks even in the summer because of missing trees.

3. Runout: where the sliding snow and debris eventually comes to a

stop.

Avalanche Safety
Triggered Avalanches Avalanche Beacons Avalung

Triggered Avalanches
One form of avalanche safety is for crews to go out and use either artillery or explosives to purposefully trigger avalanches to make the slopes safer for backcountry skiers.

Avalanche Beacons
If you are planning on skiing in the backcountry an avalanche beacon is a necessity. The beacon allows other people in your group to locate in case of an avalanche.

Avalung
The avalung is a new product made by Black Diamond that allows a person stuck in avalanche 30-45 minutes of oxygen allowing rescuers extra time to save them.

Safety Tips
Other tips for avalanche safety involve... taking an avalanche safety course checking local forecasts traveling with at least one other person who is trained in avalanche safety.