E. Ridge Russell Approach

Posted March 13th, 2010 by jediah porter

Location

United States
36° 35' 15.7776" N, 118° 16' 22.872" W
Date and time of observation: 
March 10, 2010 - 7:30am
Region: 
Lone Pine Area
Observation Type: 
Avalanche
Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Avalanche Observations
Avalanche Type: 
Dry
Avalanche Type: 
Slab
Trigger type: 
Natural
Aspect: 
Southeast
Elevation: 
12600ft.
Bed Surface: 
Old Snow
Weak Layer: 
Old Snow
Avalanche Width: 
300ft.
Avalanche Length: 
1200ft.
Terrain: 
Above Treeline
Number of similar avalanches: 
5-10
Comments: 

Witnessed the slide detailed above on day 3 of a guided 4-day Whitney Mountaineers Route attempt. Reports from skiers 3/8 and 3/9 (two different parties) suggest human triggered slides in Whitney's Mountaineers Route gully (crown about 13200) each day. No injuries, possibly more details to follow from the skiers involved? We exited Upper Boyscout to the car (No one was driving higher than about 6500 ft) on 3/10. Along the way we observed 9 separate D1-2 naturally triggered slides on a variety of N-E-SE aspects. We chose to go sport climbing in the Alabama Hills for day 4.

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