Observation: Portage / Placer

Photos from the Byron Glacier trail and surrounding avalanche terrain. The first photo looks right at the ‘ice cave’, which is now covered in avalanche debris from this season and not visible. The cave becomes visible when the snowpack melts out enough to exposes the creek that tunnels under years of avalanche debris. The cave can be extremely dangerous. Sadly, in June of 2018 a woman lost her life when ice from above fell on top of her.

Not only is the cave dangerous, this valley is also exposed to avalanches from both sides. Avalanche danger is highest during two types of weather.
1- Stormy weather (snow and/or rain). Even a rain storm in spring and early summer is dangerous if there is still snow on the mountainsides that the rain can wash down.
2- Warm sunny springtime/early summer days. The sun can melt the snow on the slopes above and trigger avalanches that run to the valley floor. The afternoon and evening hours are generally the warmest part of the day and hence the most dangerous.