UKC

Just thought I would post details of a big avalanche I saw the aftermath of on Helvellyn today.

A full depth avalanche about 25-30m wide halfway between the summit trig point and Helvellyn Lower man, went 2-300m down to the bottom of the bowl. I don't have any photos.

I really hope nobody was caught up in it or injured.

I saw two climbers soloing up to the trig point on a very similar aspect and angle slope and wanted to remind everyone to be careful in thawing conditions.

There was no obvious layers to the snow, which was about 1 meter thick at the headwall of the slip, temperatures were a few degrees above zero and have been all day. Not a risk I would have picked up on had I been doing an assessment of the slope. Obviously I have a lot to learn!

Also, there were a few cornices which had big cracks in them in the area.

In reply to ablackett:

i also observed evidence of several full depth avalanches on blencathra today.it is forcast to freeze tonight though,so should help y stabilise everything.(hopefully).

In reply to ablackett:

Thanks for the heads up I was planning a trip up that way this week (Walking - not climbing). I was wondering what the snow conditions were like as I haven't been out so far this winter.

Your thread is a good reminder that Avalanche happen and its our job as hill goers to not take anacceptable risks. Saying that a couple of seasons ago I was knocked off my feet by a slough avalanche near to crinkle crags (Langdale) whilst digging an inspection pit. Dug a few feet down and the top layers went taking me with them, luckily is was quite a smooth ride and was able to roll out of it.

Closest I have ever been to beimg avalanched and never want it to happen for real.

In reply to Bryan W:

A pic of the avalanche debris on the slopes North of Foule Crag, Blencathra.

http://twitter.com/#!/bencstorey/status/145968809621209088/photo/1/large

In reply to ablackett:

http://mountaincircles.blogspot.com/2011/12/running-helvellyn-area-12-12-11...

Photos of Keppel Cove avalanche from today (link above)

In reply to ablackett: i saw 3 climbers traversing from swiral edge to the area u describe.... hope they werent caught in it!