The Melt Is Back On

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 04/07/2019
Name: Evan Ross

Subject: The Melt Is Back On
Aspect:
Elevation: 9,000-13,200

Avalanches: Fresh Loose Wet Avalanches were observed at all elevations, but primarily at near and below treeline elevations that faced east to south to west. This avalanche problem was also stretching into NE facing slopes. Many loose wet avalanches stayed small and within the new snow, however some were starting to gouge deeper into the snowpack and become larger in size.

A Large Wet Slab Avalanche was also reported on a ENE aspect of Gibson Ridge, BTL, just outside of Crested Butte.

Weather: Clear sky for the first half of the day, becoming mostly cloudy by the late afternoon. Light winds with some moderate gusts at upper elevations.

Snowpack: Heading out the valley in the morning, the snow surface had only formed a soft crust overnight with moist snow below. Returning in the afternoon the lower elevation snowpack was becoming unsupportive and punchy on east to south to west aspects and up to an observed 11,500ft on a southerly aspect. Skiing on Treasury Mountain in the alpine still held great cold pow on true north and had an ok warm snow surface on a southerly facing slope in the early afternoon.

A 5 person group of snowmobiles tagged many summits in the Paradise Divide area and tested many slopes. It didn’t appear that they triggered any avalanches. They were also smart with their terrain choices and had moved on to slopes not in the direct sun by the afternoon.