Sorcerer Avalanche, more than a sluff

Quick report

Weather

windy

Climb Name

The Sorcerer

Ice Quality

good

Avalanche Conditions

avalancheConditionSlab, avalancheConditionSound, avalancheConditionSnow

Climbing Wind Conditions

blowingSnowOnTheClimb, blowingSnowAboveTheClimb, blowingSnowAcrossTheValley, formingCornices

Retreated From Climb Because Of

strongWinds, spindrift

Party of three caught in avalanche powder cloud at base of The Sorcerer. While racking up 150m away from the ice climbing, our party was encompassed in darkness and suffocating snow for five minutes. Our positioning amongst the trees helped us to stay oriented only a little, it would’ve been better to be positioned amongst larger trees with no evidence of flagging. We allowed complacencies to over rule our decision making. There was no need to be there, winds were Intense, 30 cms of recent snowfall, we saw signs of instability. Upon retreat we observed a large crown line above the climb, this was not a typical Waiparous sluff.