Two ice climbers get stuck in avalanche on Cannon Mountain

[KRooney]

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FRANCONIA, N.H. —
Two ice climbers had to be rescued after getting stuck in an avalanche on a New Hampshire mountain Sunday, authorities said.
New Hampshire Fish and Game said they got a call around noon for two climbers who were trapped in an avalanche off Cannon Cliffs in Franconia State Park. Authorities said the two people began their hike around 8 a.m. Sunday and were planning on ice climbing the Black Dike route.

https://www.wmur.com/article/ice-climbers-avalanche-cannon-mountain-new-hampshire/63810681

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Speaking of John Bouchard in another thread, whom became known as Blackie Iceman after his first ascent solo of the Black Dike Route on Cannon.

 

[NHClimber]

Didn't realize the talus slope was steep enough to slide. Interesting.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Didn't realize the talus slope was steep enough to slide. Interesting.

The Cannon talus slope is steep enough for an avalanche but usually does not slide because the rough surface created by the large granite talus blocks provides a good anchor. I think the snow that the climbers triggered to slide was likely piled up at the base of the first pitch of the Black Dike route, with the male sliding 300 ft down the talus slope below, based on the reports (WMUR link from OP and NHF&G website). In her book “Saving the Garden,” Laura Waterman wrote about Guy and herself triggering an avalanche at the base on their first attempt to climb the Black Duke route in winter 1975.

Interesting corollary to the contentious long thread about this year’s snowfall in the Northeast, ski areas purported lying about their snow depths, etc., etc.

 

[skiguy]

Didn't realize the talus slope was steep enough to slide. Interesting.

All kinds of High Avalanche warnings as headline bulletins on The major TV networks last night.

 

[skiguy]

All kinds of High Avalanche warnings as headline bulletins on The major TV networks last night.

Not in the exact area but similar terrain. https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-avalanche-warning-21725/63820975

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

All kinds of High Avalanche warnings as headline bulletins on The major TV networks last night.

Yup, nearly continuous 100+ winds measured for many hours at the Summit must be piling up snow in the east-side cirques. Not much structure in the snowpack with so few rain crusts and melt crusts this winter, so potential for massive wind slab avalanches reaching to the snowpack base.

Just shoveled snow from my deck after about 18” accumulation from the last several small storms and a layer of depth hoar at the base had already formed in less than two weeks. My guess is that there is a thick weak layer of depth hoar at the base of the snowpack in the Presi cirques just waiting for a trigger.

 

[skiguy]

The Cannon talus slope is steep enough for an avalanche but usually does not slide because the rough surface created by the large granite talus blocks provides a good anchor. I think the snow that the climbers triggered to slide was likely piled up at the base of the first pitch of the Black Dike route, with the male sliding 300 ft down the talus slope below, based on the reports (WMUR link from OP and NHF&G website). In her book “Saving the Garden,” Laura Waterman wrote about Guy and herself triggering an avalanche at the base on their first attempt to climb the Black Duke route in winter 1975.

Interesting corollary to the contentious long thread about this year’s snowfall in the Northeast, ski areas purported lying about their snow depths, etc., etc.

Not this time. Being presumptuous in a situation like this is asking for it. "Usually does not slide" does not give you a pass on this one.

 

[ImYourHuckleberry]

The Cannon talus slope is steep enough for an avalanche but usually does not slide because the rough surface created by the large granite talus blocks provides a good anchor. I think the snow that the climbers triggered to slide was likely piled up at the base of the first pitch of the Black Dike route, with the male sliding 300 ft down the talus slope below, based on the reports (WMUR link from OP and NHF&G website). In her book “Saving the Garden,” Laura Waterman wrote about Guy and herself triggering an avalanche at the base on their first attempt to climb the Black Duke route in winter 1975.

Interesting corollary to the contentious long thread about this year’s snowfall in the Northeast, ski areas purported lying about their snow depths, etc., etc.

As an ice climber, I always stayed away from avalanche terrain any time the Tucks/Huntington boards were at moderate or above just because I didn't have the proper background in snow science. Even as careful as I was about it, I still almost get swept off the top of Cinema Gully one year when I triggered a small avalanche on the short little slope at the top after soloing it. Surviving that one made me even more cautious after that.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

As an ice climber, I always stayed away from avalanche terrain any time the Tucks/Huntington boards were at moderate or above just because I didn't have the proper background in snow science. Even as careful as I was about it, I still almost get swept off the top of Cinema Gully one year when I triggered a small avalanche on the short little slope at the top after soloing it. Surviving that one made me even more cautious after that.

Cinema Gully is wicked avy-prone, especially at the base where the wider face above funnels wind-drifted snow into the narrower recess, like a terrain trap for back-country alpine skiers.

 

[OldEric]

In her book “Saving the Garden,” Laura Waterman

"Losing the Garden"

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

"Losing the Garden"

Oops, sorry, thanks, yes, Losing the Garden.

 

[ImYourHuckleberry]

Cinema Gully is wicked avy-prone, especially at the base where the wider face above funnels wind-drifted snow into the narrower recess, like a terrain trap for back-country alpine skiers.

I was always cautious at the bottom but for some reason the very top slope above the ice never seemed like a potential problem. But I can say with 100 percent certainty that it can indeed rip under the right (wrong) conditions.