#sluffavalanche

#sluffavalanche

Oregon starts with denser snow and the best near-term accumulation at Mt. Bachelor and Timberline, then the whole Cascade chain turns colder as snow levels fall toward and below pass level during the midweek system.

The biggest payoff goes to the Tahoe crest and the central Sierra, where favored terrain stacks up 2-3 feet by Monday morning, while Mammoth lands closer to 14-19 in.

Avalanches kill about 100 people in Europe each year, with vast masses of ice, snow and rock regularly crashing down on hikers and skiers who have been caught unawares. The structure of the snow, angle of the slope and variation of the weather can dictate whether a gentle disturbance like a gust of wind or the glide of a snowboard can trigger a deadly shift in the mountain.

The RECCO system is a search-and-rescue technology designed to help professionals locate people buried in avalanches or lost in the outdoors. Today, it is integrated into millions of pieces of ski and outdoor equipment worldwide.

If the lake level drops below 3,490 feet - termed the minimum power pool - the turbines that generate electricity have to be shut down. When the water level reaches critically low thresholds, air is sucked down like a whirlpool into the penstocks, forming explosive bubbles which can cause massive failure inside the dam.

Snow will reach Tasmania first on Friday night, then spread into Victoria overnight, and finally reach New South Wales resorts on Saturday, tapering off by Sunday evening.

The storm will begin warm and wind-affected on Friday, with snow levels starting around 7,000 to 8,000 feet, leading to wet conditions at lower elevations initially.

California's ski season was largely dry and warm, with only 18% of average snowpack by April 1, marking the second-lowest on record. Despite some quality skiing opportunities around Christmas and early January, the overall season remained disappointing.

Visually inspect skis, bases, and edges. If any damage, get a full tune to fix the damage, grind the bases, and sharpen the edges.

As of February 24, 24 people had died in avalanche accidents during the 2025-26 winter season. Much of the statistics provided by ÖKAS in the report were based on this number, however two additional fatalities were reported by Wednesday afternoon, bringing the new total to 26. ÖKAS states that in the last 10 years, an average of 11 people had died by the end of February each year.

Pemberton RCMP said they were notified of a missing skier at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday in the backcountry east of Pemberton, in terrain near Mount Matier and the Anniversary Glacier by Joffre Peak. RCMP Insp. Robert Dykstra said an avalanche occurred in the area where the skier was believed to be travelling, prompting a search-and-rescue response.

Cornice collapses can be incredibly dangerous, having the potential to crush people, pull them down mountains and potentially over rocky cliffs, and cause larger avalanches. Professional skier Josh Daiek doesn't seem to be impacted by cornices as much as a regular skier or snowboarder would be, though. This incredible line starts with a heart pounding moment as he looked over the edge.

Silverton Medical Rescue shared this story as a PSA, clarifying that in a normal winter such debris would be covered with snow. They encourage recreators to be aware of debris, posts, wires, and other trash that's far more exposed this year than others. "Be safe and keep a keen eye out for things other than rocks and trunks. Danger looks different every year, and low avalanche risk does not equal low risk overall."

When you're touring in the backcountry, you'll want a different kit than what you wear inbounds at the resort. Inbounds, your main goal is to stay warm and comfortable, and you're usually not working nearly as hard as you do on the skin track. Touring generates a lot more heat, so your layering system has to breathe, manage moisture, and still keep you warm when you stop.