Two more avalanche deaths

Mark was dispensing wise advise on his Whistler blog http://marksboringwhistlerreport.blogspot.com/ Dec. 31:
i have heard the snowpack described as rotten. i think the technical definition is that due to the extreme cold temperatures, hoar frost, and thin snow pack, the base has lost any ability to bond with the ground below or any new snow above. avalanche risk will be high and likely remain uncharacteristically dangerous throughout the entire season.
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From what I understand the November snow has a rain crust on top and none of the new snow will bond with it.
 
Just a prolonged dry spell can form a fragile layer on the surface, especially if it's very cold. Mammoth and LCC had a ~4 foot storm Halloween through Election Day, followed by 3-4 weeks of nothing. Some of the slides have been down to that layer. When CA, UT, CO were being hammered mid-December to Christmas, western Canada was left high and dry with bitter cold, the perfect recipe for forming a weak layer.

Nonetheless there have to be some exceptional factors this season. I doubt any of us can recall more in-bounds incidents over such a short period of time.
 
socal":3oloufz6 said:
From what I understand the November snow has a rain crust on top and none of the new snow will bond with it.
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a rain crust then some or no snow for days/weeks making matters worse, surfaces turned into a dirty, naughty hoar that new snow just don't like.
rog
 
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