Show Spring weather increases dangers of an avalanche David Dunn Contributing Writer Plentiful snow springtime warmth and looming closure dates for most local r r resorts could have diehard skiers and snowboarders resorting to the try to find their thrills a with 4 near-ideal near conditions for avalanches These conditions which exist throughout through through- out the snow season are exacerbated in spring by the fluctuation between the warmer wanner melt-inducing melt sunny days and the cold spells which have often been accompanied by snowstorms have dumped over one foot in the mountains Before one of these storms hits the warmth from the days leading up up to it causes the snow to melt which produces a thin layer of water on the surface As the storm nears the temperatures begin to drop causing that surface water to freeze which in turn creates a slate of ice that the new snow sits on With freshly freshly freshly fresh fresh- ly fallen and often heavy snow on this layer of ice an avalanche is possible on slopes angled at 30 degrees or more The danger of avalanches quickly increases with the changing weather that accompanies spring according to Drew h A Ir I M rr rl I 1 rt or I Utah Avalanche Center f j Hardesty from the Utah Avalanche Center It isn't a rare occurrence to have 18 to 24 inches of fresh snowfall overnight with temperatures in the and the following day He said that the fresh snow and mild temperatures create create create cre cre- ate an opportunity for amazing try adventures for the skier snowboarder and Utah native Andy Jacobson is a lifelong telemark skier and advocate The has a tremendous risk especially in the spring After the ski resorts close many novice skiers and boarders head for the with little if any knowledge about the dangers and risks of avalanches said Jacobson I Jacobson is well educated when it comes to avalanches but he knows as aswell aswell aswell well as any that knowledge and preparedness preparedness preparedness pre pre- is only part of preventing tragedy Last year while he and a companion companion companion com com- panion were on Mount Superior a major slide occurred that could have easily carried carried carried car car- ried one or both to their demise Further compounding the problem of N r I T o 11 I. I I II rescuing buried avalanche victims is the high levels of moisture in springtime snow This moisture makes it heavier than usual and thus more difficult to dig and locate an avalanche victim Utah native Aaron Latta lost his older brother Roman in an avalanche while skiing skiing skiing ski ski- ing at Wolverine Cirque in Utah's back- back country Their team had beacons and shovels but it took so long to get to him that by the time they reached him he had already gone 30 minutes without any oxy oxy- gen Shortly after being taken by life- life flight he was pronounced dead brain-dead and soon thereafter died |