Flatiron Slide 1

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/06/2017
Name: CBMR Patroller
Subject: Flatiron Slide 1
Aspect: North West
Elevation: 11,400

Avalanches: SS-AE-R4-D3-O. Crown propagated 165′ across and stepped down to persistent weak layers deeper in the snowpack when the slab moved below treeline and gained momentum. Slide ran 1800′ into “Hockey Rink” and adjacent gully on skier’s left beneath “Total Recall.”
Weather: Clear, Cold, Calm
Snowpack: 12-24″ storm snow on wind affected layer. Previous wind events created firm, planar, bed surface.

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Flatiron Slide 2

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/06/2017
Name: CBMR Patroller
Subject: Flatiron Slide 2
Aspect: North
Elevation: 10,400

Avalanches: SS-AS-R3-D2-I
Weather: Clear, Cold, Calm
Snowpack: 12-24″ Storm snow on top of wind affected layer.

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Mountain Weather

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 01/07/2017

The mercury has fallen off the thermometer this morning. Valley temps range from -25 to -35F, while mountain stations are hovering a little above zero. Thankfully, for us warm-blooded, snow-loving creatures, relief is on the way. The Pineapple Express takes aim at Colorado this next week. A warm front is moving onto the California coastline this morning. We will see increasing clouds and temperatures trending upward this afternoon and overnight as a weak and warm shortwave trough crosses the Great Basin. Valley inversions may be slow to scour out tonight, and we can look forward to light snowfall tomorrow. The favorable dynamics arrive on Monday, and we may be looking at 2 feet of snow by Monday night, with a progressive pattern continuing all week. Hope you didn’t burn all your sick days for the year already…

Natural cycle in Ruby Range

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/06/2017
Name: Zach Guy
Subject: Natural cycle in Ruby Range
Aspect:
Elevation: Near/above treeline

Avalanches: Widespread naturals visible in the Ruby Range/ Peeler Basin near and above treeline that ran during the storm. Almost everything steep enough to slide had D1 to D1.5 debris, either small sluffs or storm slabs, mostly smoothed over already. There were numerous D2 to D2.5 slab avalanches as well, a couple perhaps D3. My guess is these larger crowns probably ran on the storm interface. Nothing that ran to the ground from my vantage.  See photos.
Weather: Cold, clear, calm.
Snowpack: Irwin storm total: 57″ w/ 5.56″ SWE. HST: 37″

D2.5 SE aspect of Peeler Peak

D2. South aspect of Peeler Peak

D2. East aspect of Scarp Ridge

D2. South aspect of Justice Ridge

D2.5 NE aspect of Robinson Basin

D2. SE aspect of Afley

D2.5. 6’+ crown? NE aspect of Purple Peak.

D2. East aspect of Scarp Ridge

D2 debris below Scarp Ridge. N aspect

D1.5 to D2 Debris piles below N/NE Scarp Ridge

D2.5 Peeler Peak

D3? Southerly aspects. Treasury.

D2.5 East aspect of Mt. Owen.  Repeat offender from last cycle.

D1.5. South shoulder of Ruby Peak

D2.5 SE aspect of Purple Peak

D2.5 East aspect of Owen

Paradise Divide Avalanches and CBAC Snodgrass Study Plot Snowpit

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/06/2017
Name: Arden Feldman
Subject: Paradise Divide Avalanches and CBAC Snodgrass Study Plot Snowpit
Aspect:
Elevation:

Avalanches: See photos. Fresh crowns in the paradise divide zone, D2-2.5, likely ran on the new/old snow interface.
Weather: Cold, Clear, Calm
Snowpack: see profile

Jan-6-Snodgrass-Pit

CB South Bowl

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Cement Creek Area
Date of Observation: 01/06/2017
Name: Kirk Haskell
Subject: CB South Bowl
Aspect: South
Elevation: 10800

Avalanches: No signs of recent Avalanche activity in the area .
Weather: Sunny , Calm and Cold .
Snowpack: Approached from South-easterly aspect gaining ridge . Some minor settling, but overall supportive .

Mountain Weather 1/6/2017

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 01/06/2017

As the last major winter storm departs, we will all attempt to dig ourselves out and soak up some of that sunshine, though temperatures will struggle to climb out of the basement, and drop to double digit below zero temperatures tonight. This break in the snowfall will be short-lived, as another Pacific storm churns toward the California coastline, with its arrival to Colorado looking to be Sunday afternoon through Tuesday. Finer details will emerge in coming days with what to expect for this next storm, but first glance looks warm and windy with significant snowfall.

Irwin Tenure

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/05/2017
Name: Irwin Guides
Subject: Irwin Tenure
Aspect: East, South, West
Elevation: 10,000-12,000

Avalanches: Largest: D1.5 ran off a double shot in 2D at upper rockband, 16″ tapering crown, classic wind pocket in center BW D&D ran to photog tree island. Numerous D1’s 2-4″ (Mid storm today) deep high speed sluffs.
Weather: 27″, 4.5″ SWE storm total. OVC and snowing S5 all day. Winds calmed to light with moderate gusts at ridge top , but weather station still down.
Snowpack: Study plot was almost buried this AM, big wind drift out of the South, hence our 15″ w 2.8″ SWE. We picked up another 11″ by 12:15 of ultra low density snow. Explosives had the same results as ski cuts. Nothing broke into old snow, today’s SS propagating mid storm 2-4″ down. Yesterday’s storm is wind buffed 4F-1F supportive @ 20cm down with todays new snow on top. Boot top ski pen @ Lunch. HST stake buried at lunch. 60cm boot pen in upper FarOut @1400.

Heavy snowfall

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/05/2017
Name: Zach Guy
Subject: Heavy snowfall
Aspect: North
Elevation: Below treeline

Avalanches: Was hoping to get views of some avalanche paths but it was snowing too dang hard to see anything. Saw one natural D1.5 storm slab on a small feature.
Weather: S2 to S5 rates. Light to moderate down-valley winds; trees visibly shaking as we gained a gladed ridgeline. Temps decreased through the day.
Snowpack: In a wind sheltered, partially gladed slope below treeline: 60 cm of fist hard, storm snow over Jan 1st near surface facet layer. Easy and moderate broken fractures in mid-storm and storm interface layers. We traveled exclusively in dense, moderate angle trees and saw no signs of instabilities other than shallow cracking.  Ski pen is knee deep. Boot pen is belly button deep. Tree well hazards were a serious concern in this non-avalanche terrain.

Gothic 1pm Obs

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/05/2017
Name: billy barr
Subject: Gothic 1pm Obs
Aspect:
Elevation: 9300

Avalanches: A slide right across the river from my house has reached the river just once that I can remember in the past 45 years but this morning I was out in the dark and heard it run (it runs constantly in a storm so no big deal). But it kept getting lower, and lower until I heard it drop down on to the river. Best I can tell it stopped there but the powder cloud (small one) drifted right by me. The point is- very dangerous conditions. On the other hand, when I skied to Gothic the snow had set up enough that I only occasionally would break into the snow pack.
Weather: Sorry there was nothing this morning- it was awful out here and just took too much time to do anything so by the time I was done it was too late to help (if it does at all). Note, if you ever need to check the weather here go to gothicwx.org and all the data is there.

The 24 hours ending this morning at 7 had 20″ new snow but more remarkable was 2.20″ of water- about 12% water content which followed 5% water in the early portion of the storm. So it settled it fast as the deepest snow got was 65″. The wind started at 1 p.m. yesterday and has not stopped, though seems to be letting up some the last few hours. Only 2″ new snow this morning and snowing lightly now.
Snowpack: