Zone: Northwest Mountains Route Description: Mt. Baldy, traveling primarily on south and southeast aspects to 12,400′
Observed avalanche activity: Yes Avalanches: A handful of destructive persistent slabs ran in the past few days. Most notable includes a pair of very large hard slabs (D3) on Purple Ridge that ran over Purple Bench and reached the Slate River, ~2100 vertical, and several others in the ~D2-D3 range off or Ruby Peak, Peeler Peak, Schuylkill Peak, Bichmond, and Gothic. All fit the same distribution pattern as previous cycles. Today’s observed slides were all on W to N to E starting near or above treeline. Hard to say exactly which days they ran on, some crowns looked very fresh (24-36 hours), others were more drifted in and probably ran during the peak of the last storm (~12/13) Weather: Cold, clear, light northerly winds this afternoon on Baldy. I could see notable transport in the Southeast Mountains this morning, especially near Whiterock. Snowpack: Apart from one collapse in a relatively thin area (from wind erosion), we saw no signs of instability under foot. Test results on a windloaded SE facing slope near treeline produced propagating results (PST 47/137 END) under a 130 cm hard slab (up to pencil hard). The weak layer is showing substantial improvements compared to the start of the month; It was 4F+ and rounding. Still an ugly structure and now scary consequences, but on an improving trend.
Photos:
Several destructive slides on Purple Ridge, two of which ran over Purple Bench towards the Slate River (out of site)
Closer view of the same slides.
A long-running persistent slab on Schuylkill Peak
The newest looking crown in the Ruby Range. My guess is it ran last night or this morning before we spotted it around 10 a.m.
Andy is unhappy about this structure. And that I made him dig to the ground while I ate lunch and pretended to look at natural avalanches.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/15/2022 Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Upper Slate (Purple, Yule Pass, Paradise Divide) Location Specific: Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural Trigger modifier: Type: Hard Slab Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R3 medium Destructive Size: D3 – could destroy a car, wood-frame house, or snap trees Avg. crown height (inches): Avg. width (feet): Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught: # of partial burials: # of full burials:
Additional comments: Purple Ridge, nuclear chute. Ran over the bench and into Slate River.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/14/2022 Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Upper Slate (Purple, Yule Pass, Paradise Divide) Location Specific: Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural Trigger modifier: Type: Hard Slab Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R3 medium Destructive Size: D3 – could destroy a car, wood-frame house, or snap trees Avg. crown height (inches): Avg. width (feet): Avg. vertical run (feet): 2100
Involvements
# of people caught: # of partial burials: # of full burials:
Additional comments: Purple Ridge, Penthouse. Ran over Purple Bench to Slate River.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/16/2022 Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Poverty Gulch (Pittsburg, Augusta, Baxter Basin) Location Specific: Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural Trigger modifier: Type: Hard 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: Near Angel Pass. Very fresh looking crown, guessing it ran last night or this morning.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/14/2022 Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Schuylkill Ridge Location Specific: Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural Trigger modifier: Type: Hard Slab Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R3 medium Destructive Size: D3 – could destroy a car, wood-frame house, or snap trees Avg. crown height (inches): Avg. width (feet): Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught: # of partial burials: # of full burials:
Additional comments: “The President” path on Schuylkill Peak. Ran fairly far into the runout, a few hundred vertical feet short of creek bottom near Pittsburg.
