Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 02/17/2020
Name: Eric Murrow
Subject: Truck Tour Avalanche Activity
Avalanches: Took a drive around the area to look for fresh natural avalanche activity. Observed several obvious and widely propagating avalanches. Visibility was obscured for parts of the range but there appeared to be a few smaller natural Wind Slabs that I was unable to fully confirm on drifted upper elevation terrain.
Red Ridge 2x HS-R2-D3-O above treeline south aspects but propagating into southwest (one clearly ran earlier than the other)
Peeler Peak HS-R2-D2.5-O northeast aspect near treeline – 3rd-time repeater path this winter
Happy Chutes area SS-R1-D1.5-O/I northeast aspect below treeline – shallow storm slab “stepped down” midpath into old snow
Weather: Partly to mostly cloudy skies around town. Wind transported snow was visible for much of the day on nearby peaks – the loading appeared fairly efficient onto east-facing alpine terrain.
Photos:
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- Wide view of two very large avalanches on Red Ridge, southerly aspects, 2/17
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- Red Ridge avalanche failing in old snow, southerly aspects, 2/17
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- Red Ridge avalanche failing deeply, southerly aspects, 2/17
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- Happy Chutes area avalanche – shallow storm slab “stepping down” midpath, northeast, 2/17
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- Peeler Peak, deep failing avalanche. northeast, 3rd time running this winter, 2/17
