Avalanches in the Northeast US

Heya,

I’m putting together some resources on avalanche danger as it relates to ice climbing in the northeast for the Boston AMC’s volunteer run ice climbing program. I am not an avalanche or mountain professional of any kind and the main focus of the resources will be to say “seek qualified instruction” That said I’m hoping that direct visual evidence or personal accounts of the avalanche / sliding fall / icefall dangers in our terrain will motivate more people to seek out that instruction.  

I’ve collected plenty of info on Tuckerman but I was wondering if people have pictures or experience with slides in Huntington, and especially with other less common terrain like the Webster Gullies, Willeys, Cinema, Hitchcock, Lincoln’s Throat, Katahdin, or anywhere else of interest in the northeast. If you’re willing to share that kind of thing here maybe you can post up, or send me a message if you prefer. I have already “googled” extensively for some of the more infamous incidents, so no need to rehash that here, I’m looking more for personal pictures of unreported things or near misses that got you thinking.

I’ll be happy to share the resulting slideshow or other resources back with the community (with appropriate permission) if people feel like that would be useful.

Thanks a bunch,
Rob

edit: typo.

My partner and I were roped up at the right hand base of Pinnacle Gully in the JAN/FEB (cannot remember exact date) of 2000 and he was crossing the gully to get set to lead the first pitch when the whole gully broke loose.  We'd never thought that it would slide but it did and he was carried about 30 meters and completely buried, but only about a foot deep.  He was able to pop up through the snow and was physically fine.

Scared the sh!t out of both of us.

Last time I ice climbed that winter.

The annual ANAM book should have some of this. I would be surprised if the Angel Slide avy in the ADKs isn't in there. It was 10-15 years ago IIRC, and was the first avalanche fatality in NY.

Hi,

Thanks Buck, that sounds scary as hell.

Gunkiemike, I forgot about Angel Slide. I have a copy of that somewhere. Thanks for the reminder. 

I'll add one or two of my own observations.

I was surprised when we got to the base of the dike and there was evidence of avalanche activity, but of course it is an avi slope. Stupid. 

I've also stupidly climbed up Central / Greens without really thinking about avi danger. I later found the photo in the link below showing a crown in the same area. We were exposed to that potential hazard all day while approaching and I hadn't thought much about it till later. (trudging in calf to waist deep snow for most of the day). I definitely knew better. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/powdergibbs/13216070513/in/dateposted/

In my youth I went to go climb Willey's Slide in a blizzard. A 6" crown broke off above us. Not enough to knock anyone down but it was enough to call it a day and go get pizza.

Also see: https://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/how-an-east-coast-slide-proves-that-avalanches-dont-care-where-you-live/ 

Rob Blakemore wrote: I'll add one or two of my own observations.

I was surprised when we got to the base of the dike and there was evidence of avalanche activity, but of course it is an avi slope. Stupid.

I’ve also seen avalanche activity in the approach gully for the Black Dike.

In Vermont, the approach gullies to ice climbs in Smugglers Notch definitely also carry avalanche hazard. Many of the gullies are pretty long, narrow, and steep.

I saw two natural avalanches in Smugglers Notch within an hour during the snow storm 2 weeks ago. A third one came down over the workout wall, that one was at least set off by a skier. It's pretty common in the right conditions:

https://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/accident-report-of-vermont-army-national-guard-triggered-avalanche-in-smugglers-notch-points-to-a-lack-of-risk-assessment-strategies/

https://unofficialnetworks.com/2018/03/13/skiers-outrun-avalanche-smugglers-notch-vermont/

I've seen an 6-8 inch crown at the base of Mount Pisgah (Lake Willoughby).

I've had a partner avalanched down most of Central BITD--luckily he stayed on the surface and survived, at the cost of 2 broken ankles. It was our fault being up there in the midst of a wild storm. I've seen avalanche debris at the base of pretty much every part of Huntington's, Willey's, several places at Frankenstein---I guess that goes for pretty much every place I have ice climbed, but the one in Central was the only one that I was directly involved with. And, as you know, it isn't just the climbs that slide. the Lion's Head trail is notorious, and it was a slide in that general area that killed Albert Dow and also caught Mike Hartrich during the search for Hugh Herr and Jeff Batzer.

  "Wait!  Lemme take a picture"

  ​Trap Dyke Avalanche​​​

You might consider reaching out to some of the local avalanche educators. It’s pretty common for instructors to both spend a lot of time in local avalanche terrain and to mine that experience for media they can use in their slideshows in classes. They might be willing to share if you ask nicely.

Thanks everybody. In addition to your posts I ended up with a few interesting reports of avalanches on Willey's and Cinema Gully. Alan thanks, your experiences sort of confirm my research and I guess you'd know as well as anybody. All of this stuff CAN slide, the question is under what conditions and whether the consequences are important. James S, that is a wild picture, thank goodness she ended up head up. Max I appreciate the suggestion. I have reached out to a few of the instructors and guides I know.

Hope y'all have a safe and fun season. 

James Sweeney wrote:   "Wait!  Lemme take a picture"

  Trap Dyke Avalanche

Ha!  I wonder if she is still his girlfriend!

There was a well known incident in the 1970’s in which three ice climbers on Chapel Pond Slab were sent to the ground when the whole ice/snow pack on the slab slid off with them on top of it. They all survived. 

SethG wrote: There was a well known incident in the 1970’s in which three ice climbers on Chapel Pond Slab were sent to the ground when the whole ice/snow pack on the slab slid off with them on top of it. They all survived. 

To be more accurate, in 75 they were swept off, but actually they did not make it to the ground. Their rope got tangled on the boot of a woman in a party below. There's a feature issue of the Adirondack Explorer from around 2004 I think on Adirondack avalanches

The Trap Dike natural slid last week, as well as a few other slides from​what I understand

"especially with other less common terrain like the Webster Gullies, Willeys, Cinema, Hitchcock, Lincoln’s Throat, Katahdin, or anywhere else of interest in the northeast"

This is not less common terrain.  In fact it is very common and very exposed to avalanche.  Slides deliver across the decent at Frakenstien too.  The ADK is a different animal, with less maritime influence, but still exposed to high NW wind events.

If you are in a gully feature under 4000' in elevation in the North East and the travel is fast and easy underfoot, you are likely traveling on a debris pile. The bottom of Cinema, Hitchcock and Shoestring are perfect examples of this.That's a good post event indicator.  Best bet for people in your group is too simply avoid the mountains after a storm or wind cycle for a minimum of 24 hours. Avalanche hazards exist in the lower elevations due to direct action storm slabs, and wind slabs.  20 -40 mph winds can create ideal conditions to transport snow and create touchy wind slabs. We see this frequently in Smuggs, Crawford, Grafton, and Franconia Notches, as well as in the passes and high peaks of the Adirondacks.  These climactic conditions are not limited to these particular zones.  

Red flag data in lower Hitchcock


Screenshot of release at the Lake


Debris on the tracks left of Standard Route

There is a reason the trees below Cinema are so small.  

You might reach out to Frank at the MWAC. He could likely give you more specific info. 

Avalanches can definitely happen in a number of places in the Greens, Adirondacks and Whites.

If anyone is interested I am starting my own independent avalanche provider back east. Just moved back after spending 12 years in Utah. My website will be up in the next month or so.

http://eastcoastavalancheeducation.com/

Matt you’re completely right. When I said less common I meant or should have said “less commonly reported in sources I follow.”  

Thank you very much for your post, pictures, and insight. 

Shooting crack from a posthole last week in the ADK

Old crown from high in Pinnacle Gully.

Slides happen in the Catskills too. There are fences in Deep Notch to keep debris off the highway. The East side of Stoney Clove shed enough snow several years ago to close the northbound lane of 214. And a couple years ago we were in the deepest bowels of Platte Clove and there were several debris piles below the south-facing slope.