By Jim Stanford on December 4, 2008
Dual slides on the north faces of Cody and No Name peaks, circa 2000.
Judging by the WyDOT Web cam, the surf’s up on Teton Pass, despite the meager snowpack.
A friend who has spent some time studying the statistics wrote today to say this is the slowest start to the season for snowfall since record keeping began.
Typically, when the autumn snow languishes on the high peaks through cold, dry spells, we are cursed with a weak layer at the base of the snowpack that can persist for much of the season.
That’s why it’s always a good idea to take in the Avalanche Awareness Night sponsored by Skinny Skis and slated for 6 to 9:30 p.m. tonight in the Snow King Grand Room. Snowpack guru and eminent mountaineer Rod Newcomb will share his observations about how this season’s base is shaping up.
The $5 entry fee goes to the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Lab and Teton County Search and Rescue. Beer will be for sale, along with tickets for one of the best raffles of the year. For a rundown on the extensive list of prizes, including a full season pass at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, click here.
This is a good night to pick up a new transceiver, shovel or probe. Gear companies will have reps on hand, and Skinny Skis will offer a 10 percent discount.
Mountaineer and cinematographer John Griber will give a presentation on his recent expedition to Gasherbrum II in the Karakoram Range of the Himalayas along the Pakistan-China border. Mountain Weather forecaster Jim Woodmencey will talk about the relationship between weather and avalanches, among other informative talks.
I’ll be riding the Pineapple Express and doing my best to bring some tropical moisture home to the Tetons.
Hey Jim,
Is that picture from this year?
Steve
No, Steve, circa 2000 — a year when we had a similarly sketchy snowpack with buried layers of instability.
I believe these are the same slides as pictured on the jhavalanche.org page.