On Thu, 9 Mar 2006 20:43:15 -0500, Kyle Adelman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>It became apparment that there
>was risk of slides, getting lost, getting stuck in the flats at the 
bottom,
> cliffing out, and worst of all risking falling into a tree well and being
>completely covered by snow.  We were exhausted from a day of intense 
hiking
>and battling deep snow.  It was one of the toughest decisions I've had to
>make, but all things considered we decided the risks weren't worth it and 
we
>hiked out.
>
>I'm relatively new to backcountry skiing and the knowledge of northern
>vermont mountains.  I had no idea that anywhere out east could accumulate 
so
>much snow.  It's weird to have to think about dangers in snowpack out 
here,
>but it's still a legitamate threat.  Maybe it's finally time to shell out
>the money for Avi 1.  

This last storm opened my eyes, too.  I think what was special about this 
storm is that the snow density was so incredibly light that you could go 
to the bottom.  Its not like the VT mountains have never seen a snowfall 
of 20-30"...they actually happen once or twice a winter.  Its the fact 
that it was 30" of dust with drifts to 6 or 7 feet.  That stuff sloughed 
heavily, too.  Usually when we get storms this large, they are nor'easters 
that are more dense and two to three feet is deep, but doesn't feel 
bottomless.

I still have this fear of tree wells in the higher elevations.  With 
natural snow depths of 4-7 feet up high in the Greens, there are some huge 
tree wells that you would not want to fall into.  Also, on the Mansfield 
ridgeline, when trying to scope or get to a line, you are normally walking 
on top of the buried trees.  So a small 3 foot tall dwarf pine with 5 feet 
of snow on it is all the sudden an 8 foot hole.  Trying to find a line on 
Tuesday back near the entrance to Hellbrook, I had to exit to the main 
trail as I kept falling in up to my waist with skis on and couldn't feel 
solid ground underfoot.  Would not have wanted to fall backwards into it 
or have to take my skis off and walk around.  

Very interesting that in this "poor" winter we are still talking about how 
deep and light the snow is...or considering avalanches and tree wells a 
valid danger.

I bet the snow was ridiculous on Big Jay on Saturday.  

-Scott  

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