Date of Observation: 12/07/2022
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Rec skiing some small hills near Snodgrass, easterly facing terrain, with decent views of Gothic, Copper Creek, Emmons, and Axtell.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Several recent avalanches, most likely ran during the storm yesterday or last night: A couple large to very large avalanches off of Axtell and Gothic, ~D2.5 best guess. Several D2s off of Climax Chutes. A number of shallow storm instabilities on Gothic, both slabs and loose dry, up to D1.5.
We remotely triggered a small persistent slab avalanche from a couple hundred feet away on a small slope below treeline.
Weather: Felt like spring temps. Some sun coming through broken skies. Calm winds, no snow.
Snowpack: More of the same, shooting cracks and collapses on anything with old snow; slabs here were ~18″ thick over large grained facets. A couple collapses required stomping. Tried to get one frequent flier to release with some stomping from nearby, but it just shattered and stayed put after the collapse.
Photos:
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4th Bowl on Axtell.
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East face of Gothic. Note the persistent slab crown (in the shade) and smaller storm slabs and sluffs in the sun.
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Several large persistent slabs in Climax Chutes.
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Remotely triggered slab from about 200 feet away.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/06/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Axtell
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R2 small
Destructive Size: D2.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet): 1200
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: 4th Bowl. Maybe a couple separate sympathetic slides.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/06/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Gothic Mountain
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R2 small
Destructive Size: D2.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: East face, couldn’t see runout or full width of slide, size is best guess.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/06/2022
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Mount Emmons
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R2 small
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Climax Chutes main and lookers right. I think these ran after 3 p.m. 12/6 because I didn’t see them at the TH yesterday, although light was flat.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/06/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Emmons
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Climax Chutes
Estimated avalanche date: 12/07/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Snodgrass
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Skier
Trigger modifier: Remote
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Ground
Size
Relative Size: R2 small
Destructive Size: D1- Relatively harmless to people
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: From ~200 ft away
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