[pct-l] Avalanche/Flash Flood

[Steel-Eye]

Good afternoon, Kathleen,

While anything can happen, avalanches are more of a winter sports
phenomenon.  They aren't at all common in the hiking season.  Most
avalanches start when a crust slides off the top of a soft base, or when
lots of loose stuff slides off the top of a hard, crusty layer.  Usually we
hike at a time when all the previous winter's snow is well-coalesced - top
to bottom -- and there is little or no new stuff on top to get into
mischief.   About the only hazards on snowpack, other than an unarrested
slide, are the remote possibility of falling through the crust and wetting
your feet in a creek running underneath, or maybe having a cornice on the
top of a ridge collapse if you climb onto it.  If you pay attention in
mountainous terrain you will see lots of avalanche chutes, i.e. big swathes
down the hill where the trees have been ripped loose and most of the
vegetation is gone.  They usually end at a big pile of rubble, trees, and
crud, but you probably won't see much -- if any -- residual snow.

Flash floods can occur due to heavy rain the desert, and creeks can rise due
to a significant snowmelt in the mountains.  In either case just avoid
camping in the bottom of a drainage, even if it's dry at the moment.  Be
suspicious if you see evidence that water has run through the area, even
though that nice soft sand in the bottom looks inviting.  Rarely, the
drainages below Pacific NW peaks can be troublesome because glaciers can
occasionally dam-up a bunch of melt water, then turn loose of it at an
inconvenient time.

 Steel-Eye

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kathleen Salmon" <ksalmon at wesleyan.edu>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2008 9:43 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Avalanche/Flash Flood


>I haven't read anything about avalanche-prone areas on the PCT (except for
> the  reroute spot). I'm trying to research how concerned I should be about
> avalanche-safety. Should I be concerned? Are there any dangerous areas I
> should be aware of?
>
> Also, I  haven't read anything about flash-floods while fording streams.
> Is this also something I should be more concerned about?
>
> Thank you!
> Kathleen
>
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l