SLIDES at Whiteface - LANDSLIDE!!!

[John W]

Did you guys see the photos from the landslide at slide #3 at whiteface. They are on Facebook if you are a friend of whiteface mountain on FB. But basically the bottom of slide #3 slide to the bottom of the canyon to slide out. Here is what was said. Surprised this is not a big topic on here. Did people just not know??

Here is the quote
"After several weeks of intense rain the heavily saturated the shallow loose soils of the slides gave way. The resulting landslide sent literally tons of rocks and tree debris plummeting down the once narrow Slide 3, finally coming to rest at the base of Slide 1, also known as Slide Out."

Really interesting stuff.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/whiteface

 

[Puck it]

Post the pics for us people that do not use FB.

 

[thetrailboss]

I would imagine that other areas are having similar problems. There have been much smaller landslides at Sugarbush.

 

[bvibert]

The picture of the day on their website shows the slide.

http://www.whiteface.com/summer/index.php

Looks like quite a bit went!

 

[thetrailboss]

Let's try this:

 

[catskills]

Interesting. Looks like a lot more to ski.

 

[thetrailboss]

Interesting. Looks like a lot more to ski.

Assuming that the giant pile of rubble at the bottom is covered.

 

[bvibert]

Assuming that the giant pile of rubble at the bottom is covered.

Natural moguls.

 

[thetrailboss]

Natural moguls.

More like a speedbump.

 

[TheBEast]

Wow!! Natural trail maintenance!! Yikes.

 

[snowmonster]

It's nature's way of widening trails. Men use blasting caps and dynamite, nature uses rain and gravity. I've never been to Whiteface. It would have been fun to ski it before and after the landslide.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Did people just not know??

http://www.facebook.com/#!/whiteface

I knew, but so few people here ski WF I didn't think it would get alot of play on AZ.

I was at WF this weekend. When you get use to seeing the Slides year after year, then you look up and see this major change it really gets your attention.

I skied Slide 4 with Harvey and Rivercoil last season. Know that its all changed they'll have to come back and ski the new version. :grin:

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Assuming that the giant pile of rubble at the bottom is covered.

the pile of rubble is not a problem. Where it all landed it does not block Slide Out

 

[deadheadskier]

Could potentially be a bad thing no? More exposure to the elements, so harder for the snow to load up in there.

Just a thought, having not been there before.

 

[AdironRider]

Shouldnt be a problem, although I bet ski patrol at the face will be babies about opening them up.

Theyve consistently been wusses about opening the gates. I like the Western system much better where its a ski it whenever you want but more personal responsibility type thing.

 

[riverc0il]

Can't see this being a bad thing at all. Looks like the majority of the new slide happened between Slide 2 and Slide 3 so essentially what might have been tree skiing and a little opening at the bottom to bail out of Slide 2 is now essentially a brand new Slide option. HPD, correct me if I am wrong there? The photo above moves the "3" to the left in the after picture making it look like Slide 3 is actually the new path, no?

 

[thetrailboss]

the pile of rubble is not a problem. Where it all landed it does not block Slide Out

Good to know, thanks. Do you have some pictures of the area you can put up from winter?

 

[deadheadskier]

guess I just kind of think of it like most super wide cut trails in New England. The wider the trail, the more susceptible it is to have wind blow the snow off of it.

 

[thetrailboss]

guess I just kind of think of it like most super wide cut trails in New England. The wider the trail, the more susceptible it is to have wind blow the snow off of it.

That's very true and a major unintended consequence! I think that in this case, and correct me if I am wrong, the slides face east and the prevailing west wind would bring snow over the summit and into the area.

 

[AdironRider]

That's very true and a major unintended consequence! I think that in this case, and correct me if I am wrong, the slides face east and the prevailing west wind would bring snow over the summit and into the area.

You are correct, but I dont know if I would say "prevailing winds" really are all that prevailing back East.

I think snow just holds better when its not settling on manmade skied off hardpack in the first place. I think snow would hold much better if it wasnt falling on manmade boilerplate, but thats just my opinion.

Ive poached the Slides (again patrol doesnt like to open them up up) when the rest of the Northeast was terrible due to holiday crowds or whatever and the Slides, while they didnt ski that great, were substantiallly better.

While blow off helps the woods at Jay, they arent that much better than the skied off trails for just that only reason.