"A large rockslide struck near the summit of Whistler Peak, British Columbia, early Thursday morning, forcing part of Whistler Blackcomb to close while crews assess the situation. The slide occurred before the resort opened on March 12, and the resort confirmed no one was in the area at the time and no injuries were reported."
"Images and videos from the mountain show a debris field cutting through part of the steep terrain between the West Cirque and the double black diamond run Monday's, two well-known lines in the Peak zone. Early assessments suggest the slide stretched roughly 100 meters across the face, sending large blocks of rock tumbling down the slope."
"The mountains surrounding Whistler, British Columbia sit within the southern Coast Mountains, a range known for active geological processes. Scientists say these mountains are still slowly rising due to tectonic forces and the long-term rebound of land once buried beneath glaciers. At the same time, erosion from precipitation, freeze thaw cycles, and the gradual retreat of glaciers can weaken steep rock faces over time."
"Weather conditions leading up to the event may also have contributed. The region received 20 to 30 centimeters of snowfall overnight, accompanied by strong winds. Temperatures on Whistler Peak dropped to around -11°C, with wind chills near -23°C and gusts reportedly reaching 180 km/h."
A significant rockslide occurred near Whistler Peak's summit early Thursday morning, forcing the closure of Whistler Peak and the Peak Express Chair at Whistler Blackcomb resort. The slide happened before the resort opened, with no people in the area and no injuries reported. The debris field stretched approximately 100 meters across steep terrain between the West Cirque and Monday's run. Vail Resorts' operations teams are evaluating the terrain to determine when safe reopening is possible. Multiple factors may have contributed to the slide, including tectonic activity causing mountain uplift, glacial rebound, erosion from precipitation and freeze-thaw cycles, and recent weather conditions including 20-30 centimeters of snowfall, extreme cold temperatures around -11°C, wind chills near -23°C, and gusts reaching 180 km/h.
Read at SnowBrains
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]