Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/28/2019
Name: Eric
Subject: Ski Patrol Avalanche Mitigation- Fredo’s
Aspect: North West
Elevation: 11,360′
Avalanches:
We have had numerous passes over the last several weeks in this piece of terrain with explosives work and ski cuts and had success affecting weak layers in the snowpack with these methods. We placed a 4# Air Blast on the far skiers right apron of Fredo’s and was able to affect the stubborn wind slab. The avalanche would be classified as HS-AE-D1-I.
Weather: Clear skies with strong winds from the NW and intense snow transport.
Snowpack: Witnessed evidence of wind affected slopes and stubborn wind slab. Any snow that had deposited in this piece of terrain from our previous storm seemed to have stiffened with the change in wind direction from the W-SW to the NW. The surface of the snow showed severe ripple marks and was extremely firm traveling across it on skis. It was fairly evident that the wind slab we were focusing on was stubborn and the likelihood of triggering would be low unless we used explosives.
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