It might have been the same cycle as the Crystal slide (but perhaps it was 2011) that hit the chair terminal.
I don't know if it is the same incident but I think the avalanche that damaged chair 6 at Crystal was in 2014. I believe the avalanche was caused by the ski patrol setting off charges doing avalanche control.
They had an avalanche at Crystal in April 2011 that came down and covered Kellys Gap Road and there was a large avalanche in 2011 called Big Bertha that covered highway 410 somewhere between the Crystal Mountain turnoff and the turnoff and the turnoff to go to Sunrise.
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
0
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
They had an avalanche at Crystal in April 2011 that came down and covered Kellys Gap Road and there was a large avalanche in 2011 called Big Bertha that covered highway 410 somewhere between the Crystal Mountain turnoff and the turnoff and the turnoff to go to Sunrise.
That slide crossed both 410 and the park road to White River. It ran through a considerable amount of timber.
While this recent cycle is significant, the cycle in 99 went on for a month, with a lower freezing level. For most of January in into early February the backcountry was a hair-trigger death trap. The biggest avy crown I've ever seen in a book or in person was in the Chair Peak basin, after that cycle. We climbed the north face, came down the descent route, and found ourselves stuck atop a 20 foot crown. We eventually found a weakness in it that let us through. The blocks of snow around the Thumb Tack from that slide were truck-sized.
That large avalanche came down a big chute that crosses the Crystal Peak trail. From that crossing, you get a nice view of the Sunrise Road park entrance booth.
I'm old enough to remember four gigantic mudslides onto the 410 highway, at the western entrance to Federation Forest. The highway was closed for awhile but once it re-opened, you could look north, up those huge chutes, cleared of trees, right to the ridgeline--with lots of earth and mud piled high, on the south side of 410. Those chutes are mostly refilled with new trees now. It was amazing that no one was passing through that area when the slopes let go.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate NWHikers.net earns from qualifying purchases when you use our link(s).
