Slides Open

Whiteface Facebook says Beacon, Probe, Shovel =)

We'll be up there tomorrow

Please be careful.

Facebook link:

http://www.facebook.com/WhitefaceLakePlacid/posts/10152375672300464

Scotty... what's the beta on the Dec 21 layer?

if anyone has extra avy gear i can borrow i 100% will go tomorrow.

There is no guarantee they will be open tomorrow.  

yeah, but given that they're open today i see no reason not to go up there and hope they are. i live far enough away that i cant find out whether theyre open or not before leaving my house and still get up there when i want to...

Chris wrote

Whiteface Facebook says Beacon, Probe, Shovel =)

We'll be up there tomorrow

What's the point as they have no idea if the person knows how to use it

Pants wrote

There is no guarantee they will be open tomorrow.

I agree with Pants - When they opened them this early in the past it was pretty limited so I would not count on Tuesday.  They want to get the layers cut up so the snow will be more stable later on in the season when we get more snow.  Be careful I'm been in them early like this and it can be pretty hairy.  May want to throw a change of clean underwear in your pack next to your probe and shovel.

The point of requiring avi gear is to weed people out...typically if you would invest the money in the gear, then you are at least an expert skier and able to handle the terrain.  No resort checks to see if you know how to use it.  

1. i can deal with really hairy on one pair of underwear, thanks.

2. skimore's point never gets less true. i dont know how they could really enforce that without forcing you to demonstrate basic knowledge one way or another, but then there has to be a point where they're trusting you. the problem is you get SO many people who would never seek out that kind of terrain except for the convenient fact that it's lift served at whiteface and they want to be cool. look at the comment thread on whiteface's facebook post. "is avy gear really mandatory?" "anyone know where i can get a beacon?" if you dont know where to get a beacon you shouldnt get one and go skiing in avy terrain with it tomorrow.

Do they do a beacon check at the entrance

I agree that it's just used as a way to weed people out. They don't even require a partner. I mean what good is a beacon if it's transmitting to nobody? (I realize that patrol might be able to see a slide and respond, but I'm pretty sure that if they were really serious about rescue, they'd probably require that people not ski alone).

The snow in there is stable...and lots of it.  I would say 60 inches in the past two weeks.

The point of having people using a beacon is so they can politely tell people they can't go in.  If someone has a beacon/shovel/probe they can go in.   If they are not qualified to be in there they will make there way down and never come back.  There is no perfect answer but having them open this early is a credit to new management and there view on the skiers experience.

 I was one of the dorks that skied around with a back pack yesterday.  Got skunked on the slides but did ski bottomeless pow for about 800 vert.  It was the best skiing since the day before when I got 300 vert of bottemless.    

yes

mattchuck2 wrote

I agree that it's just used as a way to weed people out. They don't even require a partner. I mean what good is a beacon if it's transmitting to nobody? (I realize that patrol might be able to see a slide and respond, but I'm pretty sure that if they were really serious about rescue, they'd probably require that people not ski alone).

Usually when they open it like this Patrol will only allow a limited number in at a time - I've recall its between 6 and 10 and you must have a partner and prove you have the gear

Beacon in my car BUT not open yesterday

edit to add: what does that smiley mean EXACTLY? Are the rules punching me?

tjf1967 wrote

The snow in there is stable...and lots of it.  I would say 60 inches in the past two weeks.

There certainly is a lot of it.  I've heard some concern over the Dec rain layer under all that snow.

Last time they opened the slides before President's day was 2001 and it was the best year ever in the slides.  I don't beleive that they ever have been open in January before in the time that they have become in bounds and controlled by Patrol.  We may be in for a good time this season.

<quote author="skimore">
<What's the point as they have no idea if the person knows how to use it
</quote>

To weed out weak skiers and gapers.

Running a sled in there is not an easy task.  

And yes they do a beacon check on the way in.  

we dug two pits on Saddleback yesterday, one low and one high.  40-50 inches of snow.  base layer was a very coarse snow/ice stuck hard to the slab.  we found 4 to 5 layers, none of which were very defined.  nothing broke away on our column.  In both pits everything compressed.  Way up high espically on north facing aspects - very wind affected.  Yesterday high on Saddleback and again on the Northface of Gothics we smashed through a nasty rime layer.  shattered like glass.  Once clear of the higher elevation the snow soften and was deep!

I'm 1000% you have no worries in Whiteface slides.  And I 100% support the beacon, shovel, probe practice.  

Great job WF openning them slides!  

Skiing with AVI gear in te BC is like skiing with a helmet, you will probably not need it but if you do...

Taking an AVI course is not hard, just reading a book like the chapter in "Freedom of the Hills" will go a long way. It has been at least 15 years since I took an AVI course, I certainly don't feel qualified to evaluate snow stability but I have a good modern beacon and know how to used a probe. I plan on waiting a little later in the year before I grab a slide.

Do the slides slide often, or is it not that common.