Buff Pass: Soda
- Posted on February 12, 2021
Weather Forecast
On Thursday we saw light snow with about 2 inches, then on Thursday night, we saw steadier snow with 2-6 inches across the mountain.
Today on Friday, we should see snow all day and this snow will continue throughout Friday night and likely end (or at least slow down) by Saturday morning. Total snowfall on Friday and Friday night should reach double-digits and the snow could get softer and deeper throughout the day on Friday with potentially the deepest-feeling snow on Saturday morning.
Ski Partners
Brian Yoder, Marty Bell
Entrenchment – Dealing with a well-established persistent instability. Entrenchment (not a preferred operating mode) requires discipline to sustain it for the necessary time; this is the last resort short of closing operations completely.
Limit skiing to a small terrain selection assessed as having acceptable risk until the situation has clearly changed. New evidence continues to be gathered and monitored for changing conditions, but new terrain is only considered for opening if there is compelling evidence to do so (for example if an avalanche was observed that definitely removed the layer of concern).
Entrenchment mode is a successful operating strategy for persistent slab instabilities.Establish a limited base of acceptable operating terrain and be disciplined to operate only within that designated terrain as long as necessary for the persistent instability to run its course. Expect this to take longer than anticipated and do not step out into new terrain prematurely. Plan to maintain this discipline beyond the time when all evidence seems to indicate that the persistent instability is no longer a concern.
When dealing with persistent instabilities, discipline is more likely to be successful than cleverness –it is better to wait out the instability than to try to outsmart it.
Limit skiing to a small terrain selection assessed as having acceptable risk until the situation has clearly changed. New evidence continues to be gathered and monitored for changing conditions, but new terrain is only considered for opening if there is compelling evidence to do so (for example if an avalanche was observed that definitely removed the layer of concern).
Entrenchment mode is a successful operating strategy for persistent slab instabilities.Establish a limited base of acceptable operating terrain and be disciplined to operate only within that designated terrain as long as necessary for the persistent instability to run its course. Expect this to take longer than anticipated and do not step out into new terrain prematurely. Plan to maintain this discipline beyond the time when all evidence seems to indicate that the persistent instability is no longer a concern.
When dealing with persistent instabilities, discipline is more likely to be successful than cleverness –it is better to wait out the instability than to try to outsmart it.
Route
Snomo to Soda Mtn. Skied 1x run in Poppy Fields, 1x run in the NW bowl, and 2x runs in lower Soda to Soda creek.
Partial track:
Weather
Storming all day. Warm and wet. Windy. Low vis.
Sky
OVC
Winds
Strong
Avalanche Activity
1x ski cut triggered storm slab below treeline
