Advice from an Avalanch Survivor

[Morgan101]

This is a natural disaster we don't discuss much here, if at all. I thought it was interesting. Maybe something to save for a rainy (or snowy) day if you are ever in the situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z056N3DEJao

[dalewick]

I've only seen one avalanche (North Cascades, WA) and it was scary. Moved fast as water but had an entire mountainside of crap mixed in with the snow. I mean whole trees, boulders, etc. Whatever was on the mountain, came down the mountain. The video gave some real good information and sounded a lot like the snow and mountain training I received in the army. Best advice as far as I'm concerned was the stay out of avalanche areas because if your not found fast, it won't matter.

Dale

[Schneb]

Just drove through mountains of Pennsylvania (east to Huntingdon and back west) and saw signs of recent trees that had come down and some small rocks that had tumbled from shear, rocky faces alongside the road. Wondered if there are times accumulated snow on the steep slopes along the roads comes down all at once like an avalanche. I think of avalanches as something in the Rockies or Alps or Himalayas.

Always interesting to get out and see a different piece of the country. Gets the mental wheels turning and all.

Beautiful area, and nice people, too, btw.

[dalewick]

That sounds like the super heavy snow we had a week or so ago. Broke branches and power lines around here. I've seen rock slides and mud slides here in WV but I've never heard of an avalanche. I wonder if they ever do hit here in the east. Anyone know?

Dale

[CountryGuy]

Sounds like you were close to where I work Schneb if you were east of Huntingdon. We had a lot of snow but likely the downed trees were due to the warm up we had followed by wet snow and 40-60mph winds that then uprooted trees all over. When those trees pop out of the ground they can move a lot of rocks and dirt down steep slopes.

[Kimbery]

Beautiful area, and nice people, too:)