On Thursday (15th September 2011) Ewan Mackie our Snowsports Centre Supervisor tagged along with Patrol while they did some avalanche control work. Ewan gives us the low down on what happens before we get to ride the POW…

It hasn’t been the biggest snow year this season but when the white stuff comes, we’ve been loving it!  Over the last couple of days we’ve had a nice wee dump of about 15cms and with the added element of the wind that meant there were some deep pockets of nice fresh powder.  But, of course, before we let everyone get into the goods the crew from Ski Patrol have to get out and carry out avalanche control work.  I tagged along with Jules (legend patroller) for a ski cutting adventure!

When the snow is blown by the wind it forms large, dense, build ups called ‘Wind Slab”.  This slab does not bond very well with the snow it falls on and if this happens to be a steep slope then you have a potential for avalanche.  It is kind of like balancing a full glass of beer right on the edge of a table – the lightest touch may knock it off!  So Jules and I headed out to safely trigger the avalanches before they caused any trouble!

Above: A controlled slide.

We set off across “Anemometer Face” which is right next to the base buildings and one of my favourite places to ski at Cardies.  It was in the Lee of the S/W wind so had quite a bit of wind slab formed.  Ski Cutting involves a quick traverse from one point of safety to another across the slope.  Jules set out and quickly triggered some good results.  I then followed and also ripped out some sizeable slabs.  It is a pretty surreal sensation having the snowpack fracture beneath your skis with cracks shooting off across the slope and then watching it flow off down the slope.  Your momentum carries you across rather than down the slope so that you can trigger the avalanche below you without getting caught and taken for a ride!

Above: Jules ski cutting

We carried on and cleaned out a few more pockets of wind slab further up those Skyline faces until all of the potential avalanches had been triggered safely.  Then we were able to open the area up for everyone to get stuck into some awesome pow skiing and riding!  The weather cleared up and it turned into a sweet powder day!

Above: Post control work fressshies!

Next time it snows I’ll for sure stop and thank Patrol for their early morning efforts, getting the mountain open and ready for us!  

Ewan