Quick report
Our AIARE 1 class toured into Tuckerman Ravine with the goal of directly observing avalanche terrain, getting their hands in the snow to make stability assessments and better understand any recent windslab formation, and to potentially ski a line. Students practiced CTs on a small S aspect slope on the northern side of the ravine floor (approx. 4500ft); most resulted in CTH with smooth interfaces between the windslab and the underlying snow. We then performed an instructional ECT nearby on a SE aspect; result was ECTP12, with a 45-50cm thick pencil to 1-finger hardness windslab failing on 5cm of fist hardness unconsolidated snow. Students were able to convert this information to travel guidance by a) better understanding how windslabs were bonding to the underlying snow, b) realizing the weight and density of the recent windslabs, and then finally c) visually identifying windslabs and selecting terrain away from them. The class booted up to the rock buttress dividing Right Gully from Sluice (approx. 4800ft), transitioned, and found good turns in Chicken Rock Gully. Overall the snow on the right side of the ravine is highly variable, ranging from hard icy old snow, firm wind board, windslabs of varying firmness, and soft drifted snow. At approx. 1pm skies were clear with an undercast up to 4000ft, and light winds in the ravine. Other parties in the ravine appeared to be respecting the windslabs by avoiding them in the their travel and staying out of the upper reaches of the ravine. Skiing quality has improved vastly on the JSST since Friday. John Sherburne is smiling down upon us.