Ski Touring and Splitboarding in Himalayas

Whether western disturbances reach South Asia or die upstream depends less on how strong they are at birth and more on what happens to them inside the jet stream. One of the most important failure modes is jet bifurcation . What is a continuous jet? A continuous jet is a relatively unbroken band of strong westerly winds at upper levels (roughly 200–300 hPa ) extending across regions. In a continuous jet: momentum is efficiently transferred downstream upper-level troughs remain dynamically connected storms stay embedded in the larger flow systems can travel long distances without decaying For western disturbances, a continuous jet allows systems generated over Europe or the Mediterranean to remain organized as they move eastward toward West and South Asia. What is jet bifurcation? Jet bifurcation occurs when the upper-level flow splits into two or more branches , usually a northern and a southern branch. This typically happens due ...

Western disturbances form when the large-scale flow over the North Atlantic–Europe sector becomes unstable enough to generate and sustain mid-latitude cyclones, and when those cyclones are embedded in a flow that allows them to travel eastward. Western disturbances form more frequently when: cold air is allowed to intrude south into Europe upper-level trough activity is persistent and well-placed the jet pattern supports downstream propagation Which NAO setups favour WD formation? The most favourable setups for frequent western disturbance generation are often neutral to moderately negative NAO phases (not always the most extreme negative values). In these setups, you commonly see: a weaker North Atlantic pressure gradient, which tends to make the flow wavier more frequent southward cold intrusions into Europe sharper temperature gradients over southern Europe and the Mediterranean more active baroclinic instability (the core engine for mid-latitude ...

Purpose: A field-usable formation + identification + forecasting playbook for (1) near-surface facets (NSF) and (2) facets that form on/under/within a thin, laminar crust (sun crust, wind skin, rain crust, melt-freeze, freezing drizzle). The Ingredients A. For Near-Surface Faceting (NSF) Cold, clear nights → strong radiative cooling at the snow surface. Low wind (or sheltered micro-terrain) → prevents mixing/warming of the surface. Thin snow cover / shallow new snow → steep temperature gradient in the top few cm. Time : even 1–3 nights can start it; 3–10 days can make it significant. Physics shortcut: a strong temperature gradient in the top 1–5 cm drives vapour transport upward, growing angular grains fast. B. For Faceting Around / Within a Laminar Crust A thin, dense, smooth crust (sun crust, rain crust, melt-freeze, wind-skin, freezing drizzle crust). Then cold, clear weather (or cold air over warmer s...

Sethan has always been a backcountry place. For years now, local skiers and snowboarders have been hiking, boot packing, skinning, and riding there. Lapping lines, riding during storm days, spending long days out in the mountains.  Sethan has played a big role in shaping the contemporary backcountry scene in upper Kullu Valley , especially for local riders. And it has done a lot of good. The terrain in Sethan is not small. From the Dome down to the village, there are long, continuous slopes. Big views. Big turns. Real lines. People ski steep sections, ride powder during storms, and move through proper mountain terrain. But what Sethan offers, more than anything else, is forgiving terrain . The runouts are often long and gentle. If something moves, it usually runs far, but not violently. You can make mistakes there. Many people have. And most of the time, you still make it home...

There’s a particular kind of dangerous day that doesn’t look dangerous. Not the obvious days. Not the big storm days when the mountains are shouting. I mean the days that look “reasonable” on paper. The bulletin says Moderate . Maybe “Moderate, trending up,” or “Moderate with pockets of Considerable.” You drink your tea, scan the problems, nod at the travel advice, and tell yourself the grown up sentence: we’ll select terrain carefully . Then you go outside and do what humans do. This is a deep dive into why avalanche incidents still happen on Moderate days, even among people who “know what they’re doing.” It’s not a morality story. It’s not “education fixes everything.” It’s a look at the cognitive and social machinery that quietly steers decisions once you’re in high consequence terrain. 1) The boring truth that explains a lot: exposure One reason Moderate produces a lot of incidents is boring, sta...

Couloir Avalanche Considerations: Why “Small” Avalanches Can Kill in Steep Lines Steep couloir skiing has gone from a niche discipline practiced by a handful of extreme skiers to a mainstream aspiration. High-production ski films, social media edits, and the “steep is the new normal” zeitgeist have done what they do best: they make narrow lines look standard, and they make backing off feel like you’re missing out. But couloirs are not simply “steeper skiing.” They are a different risk environment because terrain amplifies consequences . A small avalanche that might be inconsequential on an open slope can become lethal when it is funneled into a confined gully with nowhere for debris to spread. Add overhead hazards, complex terrain interactions, and the reality of other parties above you, and couloirs demand a more conservative operating system than most people expect. This article is a comprehensive, field-focused guide based on a talk by Mike Austin (Avalanche Geeks) , a pr...

A simple, step-by-step guide for guides and trip leaders to respond to incidents in the field, ensuring safety, calm decision-making, and efficient coordination with base support. Objective Provide a clear, practical framework for responding to an incident during a Himalayan ski touring product, with the goal of: Protecting life and preventing further harm. Stabilising the situation and the group. Coordinating effectively with Himalayan Ski Touring base support and local rescue if needed. Important: This emergency plan is designed as a field guide for trained guides and trip leaders. It does not replace formal medical or rescue training such as Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Outdoor Emergency Care, or ski patrol training. Emergency Management Plan What defines an emergency? An incident on a Himalayan Ski Touring program should be treated as an emergency when any of the following occ...

WEEK OF 11 DECEMBER 202 With winter officially underway in the northern hemisphere, large-scale atmospheric patterns are now pushing cold air and storm systems into key ski touring regions. A split polar vortex and persistent troughing over North America have delivered a robust cold pool and increased snow potential across multiple mountain chains. Europe’s high Alps maintain early coverage as Atlantic systems edge in, while Japan’s classic northwest monsoon begins to ramp up coastal snowfall. The Himalaya remains mostly dry with isolated high-elevation snow showers due to weak Western Disturbances. NORTH AMERICA — UNITED STATES Wasatch Mountains (Utah) Observed Conditions Since the last outlook, snowfall in the Wasatch has been relatively limited and uneven. Mid-mountain and upper terrain generally shows a modest base depth (~30–50 cm), with lower elevations thin or crusty from periodic warm spells. Persistent faceted basal layers from earlier weak snow events remain a struct...