11 Feb - Happo avalanche

I was indoors all day once again teaching an AST course. It appeared to been a slightly clear day after early snow finished. Reports of windy conditions above 2000m. Other than that, I have little else to offer for first hand info. Also some words going around in the network about a large avalanche on Happo today from 2100m, I'm hearing Size 2.5-3, which is big. Any info out there? Looking at the Japan Avalanche Network avalanche bulletin, another Persistent Slab problem may be surfacing in Hakuba based around the 120208 rain crust which is starting to facet and weaken. The weather map for next Tuesday shows quite warm weather with freezing level forecast for 1700m and perhaps light rain in the valley. After that there appears to be a period of great conditions with cold temps, light wind and small amounts of new snow. With instabilities in mind, it looks like a good period to get our into the better backcountry well away from the resort accessed ridges. Pity I'll be heading north on a long drive to teach another AST course. Oh well, I miss out. So much I could be doing with that weather.

>>Hakuba Avalanche Bulletin provided by the Japan Avalanche Network. Pay attention to the valid date and consider how recent weather may change Danger Ratings.

Comments

Submitted by Pyry Julius Liukas on 11 February 2012 - 8:28pm.

Hi Damian,

We where skiing down the Happo's first valley down to the river today. At the end of our second run (around noon / 12am) we witnessed how an avalanche came down to the river and dams from the second or third valley. We had seen other skiers coming from there previously on the earlier run and witnessed how others had crossed mountaintop to get to ski in the second valley, but I really hope no one was there when the avalanche came down.

This was my first avalanche I witnessed. After the snow had settled, the area of fallen snow covered almost the whole river part between two dams. Couple of fuzzy pictures from the avalanche (first is the avalanche cloud and second is the settled snow taken from Obinata bridge). https://picasaweb.google.com/112618103467788158140/HappoOneAvalanche

Are there any official Japanese bulletin or reports about reported avalanches in Happo area?

br. Pyry

Submitted by Damian on 11 February 2012 - 8:39pm.

Hello Pyry, thank you or sharing this information, I really appreciate it. I have passed it onto the Japan Avalanche Network. Today was a dangerous day to be on that steep terrain - I hope no one was hurt.

There is no official information regarding any avalanche activity yet. I will post it here if I see any. Please also check the avalanche bulletin linked in my daily posts (click on the danger rating graphic for additional info).

Thank you again for your info. It really is very helpful.

-damian

Submitted by Lee on 11 February 2012 - 10:04pm.

The slide at Happo was a Class 3, on E-SE aspect, in a significant slide path, at about 1800m (the Big Triangle). Crown was 30-60cm deep, new snow with heavy wind loading on the rain crust. Debris came up just short of the river. No one was caught or injured.
Red flags today included evidence of other slides on similar aspects/elevations, rapid wind loading, new snow, sun and rising temps, and a Considerable rating from JAN and ACT.
I have no more to contribute at the moment. Be careful out there.
I did not submit this to JAN as I dont know how, please feel free to, Damian.

Submitted by Damian on 11 February 2012 - 10:28pm.

Hi Lee, well, it's good that you and your friends are ok. Big skier triggered avalanches were likely today on that kind of terrain. Thank you for sharing the information, I will pass it onto JAN. Good to hear you group is safe, and that no one on the traverse below was buried. We all need to be very careful of who is below us.

Enjoy your skiing, Lee. There will be plenty of good safe stuff out there all week.

-damian

Submitted by Dalton on 12 February 2012 - 1:09am.

dudes is it worth your life? Snows a lot in Japan. Plenty of oppurtunity to ski Pow. I don't think the assumption of different risk tolerances is a valid argument here. Stay safe, live to ski another day. Clearly today was not the day to be in that zone at all.

Lee, WWJD? Be careful

Damian, thanks for the report and the skiing. Lots of references coming your way.

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