Avalanches:
Weather: Few clouds and light winds out of the North. High winds at ridge crest should have been visible from just about anywhere in the valley today. There was also a moderate inversion today. Touring up higher made digging in the snow bearable.
Snowpack: One crew toured up about an hour into Red Lady Glades and practiced snow profiles in one site. The other group toured up Red Coon Glades and did a series of observations on different aspects. CT Results revealed planar failures down 40-53cm on the 1/19 SH Layer or a Near Crust Facet Layer depending on aspect. Failure was also observed on a mid-storm layer down 26cm, which was also found in tilt tests. The failure there was on small preserved stellar and DF, but there was not a cohesive slab above the failure.

Propagation tests showed either ECTN or X on our layer of concern and PSTs went 68/100 End and 95/100 End down 53cm on the 1/19 Crust Facet Combo

Up higher in Red Coon Glades we had some subtle but repeatable whumphing. The first we’ve heard after this last round of storms. From looking at the grains and performing all the tests our results would seem to confirm the avalanche bulletin from this morning. As such we kept our terrain choices conservative(

Avalanches: No indicators on skin track or ski down on south facing slope.
Weather: Clear and calm.
Snowpack: About 4 to 5 inches of new snow within last 24 to 48 hours.

SW aspect in open area had a 1-2 inch shallow windslab overlying loose snow on top of crust.

South aspect: at least 4 inches on sun crust.

Avalanches: Observed on Happy Chutes BTL and within past 48 hours?:
two D2 slides on the northern side. Appeared to be naturally caused from cross loaded slopes

at least two D1 slides in line with Warming Hut. One appeared to be skier triggered.
Weather: Freaking cold even in the sun. Clear and calm.
In AM observed east winds blowing copious amounts of snow on summits of Whetstone and north ridge of Mt. Emmons.

In PM, observed wind shift with snow being blown from the west on same peak and ridge. Also observed west winds blowing snow in Paradise Divide.
Snowpack: Keystone which is bottom of Red Lady Glades:
Average Depth: 68 inches
snow water equivalent (SWE): 17.1 inches
snow density: 25%

Crested Butte near Warming Hut:
Average depth: 62 inches
SWE: 15.8 inches
snow density: 25%

Avalanches: Several small (D1) windslabs above treeline that ran in the past 24 to 48 hours or so, on NE, E, and S aspects in the Ruby Range. One ran today. Evidence of some larger debris piles from earlier in the storm cycle from above treeline paths, but crowns are blown clean now. Explosive triggered one large persistent slab on a SE aspect near treeline, 65-80 cm thick. HS-AB-R2-D2-O on facets and decomposing SH over a crust (Jan 19 interface). Remotely ski triggered small pocket on SE aspect near treeline. HS-ASr-R1-D1-I. 40-50cm deep, 20′ wide on the Jan 19 interface.  Good views of from Scarp Ridge with no other significant slides observed.
Weather: Moderate plumes from northerly winds this morning eased through the day. Cold temps, few clouds.
Snowpack: In Irwin Terrain, skier triggered multiple large collapses and a long shooting crack on a S/SE aspect near treeline, ~33* slope, that didn’t avalanche. Subsequent test pits revealed the Jan 19 interface 50cm’s down and produced a couple CTV during isolation, CTE 5, ECTP1 & 12 & 15 all Sudden Collapses on the crust with 1-2mm facets and some SH observed.

Recent wind slab

Explosive triggered persistent slab. HS-AB-R2-D2-O

D1 wind slab ran today. Maybe cornice triggered?

Small, recent wind slabs

Larger debris from last avalanche cycle. Crown filled in.

Crown of explosive triggered persistent slab, 60-85 cm thick on facet/SH/crust. SE aspect NTL

Avalanches: Observed 2 avalanches on Coneys Proper.
Weather: Clear, Calm
Snowpack: Ski pen: 33
Boot Pen: 51
Slope 31 degrees
Column Test produced sudden planer collapse on CT 2 at 31 cm

avalanches

2

Avalanches: SS-AB-R3-D2.5-I, Ran 800′ vertical feet
Weather: Clear, Calm, 20F
Snowpack: 12-36″ New wind loaded snow over Jan. 19 surface hoar

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Avalanches: We did perform a number of informal tests on unsupported slopes and very steep short pitches on E and NE aspects near and above the Gothic road. Some of these showed evidence of past avalanching and had been refreshed with the old crowns almost buried. There was movement underneath the skis, but slabs did not propagate beyond ski tips and tails, but did fail down ~35 on the 1/19 SH Layer.
Weather: Scattered clouds and light winds. Stayed cold all day
Snowpack: We toured up to the meadow beneath the Rental Shop glades and dug on a NE aspect at 10,200 feet. CTM SC results were observed on a mid storm layer 28cm down CTH RP results were observed down 42cm on the 1/19 buried SH Layer. ECTN on the mid storm layer and no cracking down on the buried SH. PST 100/100 down 38 Buried SH layer was not easily observable to the eye where we dug our long column tests. Given sudden results our avoidance of steeper terrain from our trip plan and the bulletin was confirmed.

Avalanches: Fresh wind slab avalanches could be scene on star and pearl pass. Star men’s avalanche looked to be D2R3. Multiple point release avalanches started to naturally occur through out the day in and around the whole bowl.
Weather: 24 inches fresh snow at friends hut
Snowpack: A wind slab covered all aspects of the slopes around pearl pass and around friends hut, even the flat ground right outside friends hut. 24 inches of fresh snow fell at friends hut and high winds continued through the night. The fresh snow started to set up to a storm slab almost immediately. The wind slab was failing on slopes 35 degrees and great on most aspect.

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