Avalanch snow == Concrete

[M@]

I shoveling snow off my roof with a roof shovel a while back, and it was coming down all around where I was standing - at one point I kind of let if gather around my boots... and it piled up to about my knees - and it was VERY surprising to feel how completely trapped my legs were. If your whole body got caught under that kinda snow you can forget about digging yourself out.

It was also interesting seeing how the snow came off the roof - how much force it took to get it "sliding" and seeing the different layers.

I was NOT wearing a transceiver.

M@

[Bannick]

Jess and I were at an avlanche awarness seminar a couple of weeks back and there was a guy after who kept asking the instructor how could snow turn to cement like that it is all light and fluffy. It got to the point that it seemed as if he thought the instructor was full of it.

Quite amazing what that frction of snow against snow can do to make it set up.