[MCR] Howsons 29 Feb 08

Subject: [MCR] Howsons 29 Feb 08
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:12:02 -0800
Today we saw a widespread natural avalanche cycle on facets and surface hoar. Fortunately, the slab is quite shallow - rarely more than 20 cm and often less. It propagates very easily with cracks shooting 50 m across slopes. However, it ran slowly and only in quite steep terrain. It does appear that another crust and facet layer formed on 28 February and today's avalanches ran on that. A large avalanche ran off Hut Peak and dusted the valley.

We are moving very carefully and suspect that more load may activate lower weak layers.

--
Christoph Dietzfelbinger
IFMGA/ UIAGM Mountain Guide - Bear Mountaineering and the Burnie Glacier Chalet
Box 4222        Smithers, B.C.          V0J 2N0 Canada
tel. 250-847-3351/ fax 250-847-2854 info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.bearmountaineering.ca

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