Observation: Portage / Placer

A couple photos of VERY large cornices over the Byron Glacier Valley. This slope sits right above the popular ‘ice caves’.

If one of these cornices came crashing down, it could send debris over the valley floor – far past the ice caves. A big concern for people venturing up the valley this spring. The trail is currently under several feet of snow and not recommenced to travel without winter backcountry and avalanche assessment skills.

Note: The caves are there because of the tremendous amount of avalanche debris that piles up each year, which does not fully melt away in summer. The Byron creek runs through the debris forming the ‘ice caves’. This area if full of natural hazards and can be very dangerous all year long.