Friday, August 18, 2017
Mt Buller & Mt Stirling’s Newspaper PH: (03) 5775 2115
E: sales.mcourier@nemedia.com.au
Avalanches avoided due to careful patrols
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By RHYLLA MORGAN & PAM ZIERK-MAHONEY LAST week Mt Buller experienced heavy snowfalls that created a rare and real risk of avalanche danger. Deep falls of snow within just a couple of days suddenly added the snow load in resort, particularly on the steep and high areas near the Summit. Ski Patrol immediately enacted avalanche assessment and control procedures to manage the conditions in these areas which included closing off the dangerous zones to prevent skiers accessing areas that were likely to slide and avalanche. Head of Mt Buller Ski Patrol, Sam McDougall, said this week that taking precautionary measures at the time was likely to have saved lives. “We closed off an area for some four days while we monitored and tested the most likely sites that an avalanche would occur,” he said. “First we knew which area was high risk and when we checked it we were right - at the top of Summit Shute and above Fanny’s Finish were the highest risks. “Lowering ourselves from safety ropes we dug a pit into the snow to analyse the snow pack and differing layers. “Once these pits were dug we could then measure the temperature of each layer which gave us the risk factor. “We estimated there were several large blocks of ice sitting below the fresh snow which had not bonded, the risk then being this fresh snow could break away. “The crew had three options - one to manually trigger an avalanche by ‘ski cutting’ (skiing across the risk area) and releasing the unstable
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AT WORK: Mt Buller’s Ski Patrollers Ed Mahon and Jono Cahill monitoring the avalanche risk factors on the mountain’s highest peaks last week. PHOTO: Sam McDougall
snow; two to ‘blow it up’ or thirdly to let it sit for a few days to see if the temperatures varied and the ice and snow bonded,” Sam said. “We chose the third option and monitored the pits twice a day; after four days the snow and ice were bonding therefore making the areas safe again. “We are very grateful that we have had some experience with these situations while on exchanges at Tignes (France) and Squaw Valley (California) - along with those ski patrollers who come here for
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our winter,” Sam said. “Working with these guys gives us the experience we don’t come across very often in Australia. “Avalanches in Australia are more likely to happen in the back country of the High Plains such as over at Mt Bogong.” A Mt Buller and Mt Stirling program “Mountain Safe” has also been devised which gives skiers who prefer the back country and high slopes outlines of what to do in case of avalanches and is easily
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accessible on the Mt Buller website. Sam reiterated that these conditions only occur rarely in Australia as we don’t often receive such heavy snowfalls in such a short window - particularly following heavy rainfalls which cause the ice blocks to form under the fresh snow. As a result many Australian skiers and snowboarders have little experience or understanding of the risks associated with such heavy falls. Mt Buller is enjoying excellent snow cover and conditions
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as a result of the recent storms but it is a timely reminder for skiers to follow Ski Patrol guidance and observe closed signs as with the great snow comes some increased risks in some areas. It is also a reminder for skiers and boarders interested to explore unfamiliar terrain, and particularly terrain outside the marked boundaries in resort, that getting some avalanche training and awareness is an important step to take before heading into terrain that is not marked or patrolled.
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