Terrifying moment caught on camera at Mt. Washington in New Hampshire as a load of truck sized ice chunks broke loose at Tuckerman Ravine. As you can see in the video a skier had just made it down the face and raced away in the nick of time before debris crossed his path. Mount Washington Avalanche Center wants to remind skiers and riders that falling ice hazards are present every spring and people should take the necessary steps to stay safe (MORE INFO BELOW)
Here is a great example of the falling ice hazard that happens each spring. The pieces of ice in this video are about the size of truck tires before they slam into rocks and explode into smaller pieces. Sometimes, chunks of falling ice can be the size of a vehicle.
How can you mitigate this hazard?
❄️ Minimize or eliminate time spent underneath ice formations (Including places like “Lunch Rocks”).
❄️ Know that periods of rapid or intense warming and heavy rainfall are the most likely times for icefall, but releases are ultimately unpredictable.
❄️ Wear a helmet!
For more info about and examples about icefall and other springtime hazards, checkout the Springtime Mountain Hazards page on our website HERE.