Greetings all on this wonderful Tuesday morning. Just wanted to send out a quick reminder to check the avalanche danger before you head into the mountains.
A strong Pacific frontal system blew through the Cascades mid-day Sunday. A few inches of wet snow accumulated through the early afternoon above 4000 feet, but the strong winds were the main story Sunday. The most significant transport winds were from the W-SW and seen in the early afternoon post-frontal passage with gusts in the 40s or 50s below or near treeline with much stronger winds above treeline. By Monday morning, 4-12 inches of new snow had accumulated along the west slopes accompanied by a cooling trend.
This means that wind slabs are a very real danger out there and will likely persist for a bit.
Remember that the first period of above freezing temperatures is typically when spring avalanches occur. These are a result of free water loosening up the snow pack. Wet loose avalanches carry a lot of kinetic energy and hit you with surprising power.
Typically in Washington snow stops accumulating in mid april and the snow pack begins to decrease. That will bring great spring skiing and potential wet avalanche hazards.
Check out NWAC http://www.nwac.us for the most up to date info out there. Be safe and have fun!
Good news we finally got our club stickers! The Nalgene bottles are ready to be picked up whenever you have a chance to stop by. Don't worry we have enough
and you can also get yours the next time you go on a trip with us if you don't stop by the center (we know it's kinda out of the way...). They look great and hopefully you'll take it out with you in the mountains and scratch it up good!
Welcome to the unofficial blog for the DoD MWR Alpine Club located on Joint Base Lewis McChord Washington! This is a forum where information can be passed on about various programs, trips, courses, and routes for the Military community in Washington. Please adhere to our simple posting standards and feel free to ask question, seek partners, and ask for unofficial meetups, training, and experience. Take a look around and if the information you seek isn't on the page let us know.
The weather is changing and the conditions are variable. So far this season we have done two basic alpine mountaineering courses and had several backcountry skiing trips. All have gone very well and everyone is very
excited about the coming summer climbing. Come see us about opportunities to explore the amazing alpine terrain in Washington and beyond! Hope to see you in the mountains!
