Chris Radford's blog

No club call tonight

Submitted by Chris Radford on 11 March, 2012 - 16:24

 Hi Everyone.  Unfortunately, we wont have the call this week, please refer to yesterday's blog post and it is forecast to be sunny all week. The snow stability will be good in the mornings and then less stable the longer a slope is in the sun

Back next wek with a discussion on spring snow

 

Henry on the Telly

Submitted by Chris Radford on 1 February, 2012 - 17:03

 Read this weeks ezine in full here.  Including the news that Henry will commenting on the programme World's scariest near misses on Channel 5 at 8pm on Thursday.

Implications of colder weather and analysis of slope angles

Submitted by Chris Radford on 1 February, 2012 - 15:24

Its cold!!  I have heard mentions of -30C today, but even if that is exagerated, it's cold.

So what does this mean for us.  Well Henry gave us a run down on what to expect from colder weather in our regular club call last Sunday.  These calls are normally reserved for premium members.  But on this occasion we have released the recording to all our ezine readers.

Taken for a ride

Submitted by Chris Radford on 30 January, 2012 - 09:57

 

See video

HAT off piste snow report for 13 January

Submitted by Chris Radford on 11 January, 2012 - 21:50

Weather forecast as of January 11

After the wind, clouds, storms and tons of snow in December and early January, it looks like we are in for a few more days of clear weather in the Northern French Alps.
 

Off piste snow conditions

Excellent - although things are really getting tracked out.

Cracks, Creepers & Releases PDS Suisse

Submitted by Chris Radford on 11 January, 2012 - 10:16

Normally favorite off piste areas are unstable following a warm November & early December and then heavy early snowfall onto warmer than usual grass slopes.  Check this facebook post from the Portes du Soleil.  The snow is starting to slide on warmer slopes at lower altitutdes.

Pure entertainment

Submitted by Chris Radford on 13 December, 2011 - 18:12

 Enjoy, be scared, admire, be horrified, whatever

Time for digging practice, check your insurance policy

Submitted by Chris Radford on 7 December, 2011 - 11:05
| Image 1 of 6 |
The target victim to be dug out

 Av risk 4, winds 60km/h, zero visibility, 80cm new snow.  

The slopes are not so tempting today. so did some digging practice instead.  Digging the car out is a useful reminder of just how hard it is to dig and move a lot of snow.  This snow was mainly light and fluffy.  Avalanche debris is hard and compacted.

Greater danger above 2500 - Henry explains

Submitted by Chris Radford on 6 December, 2011 - 17:05
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HAT team briefing 2nd Dec

In this video, Henry explains and demonstrates how we found layer of sugary snow at high altitude on Friday 2nd December.  This was formed in a snow that was 3 weeks old at that time.  Since then we have had a large anount of new snow (see slide show images to convey the increasing snow over the past 3 days.)
This sugary unconsolidated snow existed down to around 2500m.  It is now sitting under a significant new layer of snow (30-50cm).  There is more snow forecast for Wednesday which will increase the risk

See video

1st tracks for 2011-12

Submitted by Chris Radford on 26 November, 2011 - 19:19
Andreas track 26th Nov 2011

 Andreas made a few tracks on the Pissallias in the Fornet, Val d'Isère this morning.
 
Photo courtesy Andreas Bjorklund and John Yates Smith of YSE

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