Snow coverage from October storms

CB Avalanche Center2019-20 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 11/18/2019
Name: Eric Murrow

Subject: Snow coverage from October storms
Aspect: North, North East, East, South East, South, South West, West, North West

Snowpack: Snowfall from October has been melted to dirt, or at best, patchy coverage for slopes on the southern half of the compass, while the northern half of the compass has held on to a thin, continuous layer. Snow that has persisted on sunny slopes has developed into a patchwork of crusts. The snowpack on northerly facing slopes has been faceting, weakening, and will provide a poor foundation for the incoming storms. I would anticipate some avalanche activity on shaded slopes if the forecasted storms produce over the next week. Below are photos from around the range; take a gander and find the photos of terrain you play in and make note of what the incoming storms will be falling on.  Gallery generally shows terrain from west to east across the forecast area.

Photos:

Axtell avalanche

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 05/22/2019
Name: ADAM BRODERICK

Subject: Axtell avalanche
Aspect: North
Elevation: 11,200

Avalanches:

Wet slab

Weather: Partly cloudy

Snowpack: Light surface snow

Photos:

Gothic southeast face wet slab slide

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 05/12/201

Subject: Gothic southeast face wet slab slide
Aspect: South East
Elevation: above treeline

Avalanches:

skier triggered wet slab, R1 D2. triggered near a small group of pine trees: one skier caught and carried a couple of feet, no burials.

Weather: Sunny, warm

Snowpack: overnight freeze thawed on the way up, wasn’t quite soft enough for postholing at the summit. Once we dropped into the bowl, the snow quality degraded into slush. Sluff was easily manageable.

Photos:

Gothic 7am Weather Update

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Brush Creek Area
Date of Observation: 05/01/2019
Name: billy barr

Subject: Gothic 7am Weather Update

Weather: Well, it was a good summer. I mean we had that week of temperatures in the 50’sF so I guess that is it as it is winter. Again. Off and on snow yesterday but steady last night moderate to heavy with the 24 hour totals of 14½” of new snow and water content of 1.25″. Snowpack, which just a few days ago dropped to 40½” is now at 59″. Light SW wind and no visibility and currently snowing moderately. And if you do not have anything nice to say about something…..

Gothic 7am Weather Update

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 04/30/2019
Name: billy barr

Subject: Gothic 7am Weather Update

Weather: Snow most of yesterday but generally light and very dense, then picked up after dark until around midnight when it became light, then none. Also some rain for a bit mid afternoon. The 24 hour totals are 10″ of snow with water content of 1.19″ and rain 0.05″. Snow feels even denser than that 12%, which in itself is almost twice the usual density. Snowpack back up to 48½”, up from 40½” 2 days ago. Snow is wet and sticky and is caked to everything. Currently overcast and at the days low of 30F. No wind yesterday or now though it did pick up a while last night.

Mountain Weather for 11,000ft. Sunday, April 21

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 04/21/2019

Warm temperatures and cloudy. Mmmm don’t you love spring? After partly cloudy sky last night, clouds will continue to thicken today. A low-pressure system will continue working its way west and south of us and spinning moisture up our way. This thing doesn’t have a great moisture tap and will send drier air our way at times too. Such as this afternoon when we may see a decrease in the cloud cover.

We can keep the forecast for the next several days fairly general. As we’re not really on either side of the line with this passing storm. Springtime unsettled weather would be the best way to try and boil it all down. We’ll get plenty of clouds, a few snow flurries, and even some sun at times over the next couple days. By mid-week, the next ridge of high pressure looks to help clear up the clouds and unsettled weather.

  • Today

    High Temperature: 40 to 44
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, W
    Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

  • Tonight

    Low Temperature: 25 to 29
    Winds/Direction: 2 to 12, SW
    Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 1
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 1
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1

  • Tomorrow

    High Temperature: 37 to 41
    Winds/Direction: 0 to 10, W
    Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 1
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 1
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1

Mountain Weather for 11,000ft. Saturday, April 20

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 04/20/2019

The ridge of high-pressure is on its way east. Goodbye Ridge, you sure gave us some great spring skiing. What’s next you eagerly ask? Well! Clouds baby! Saturday will start out beautiful and clear. Then clouds will be on the increase today as the next low-pressure trough pushes moisture into the area. High temperatures look similar to yesterday, stretching into the high 40’s in the mountain and 50’s down in the valleys.

This low pressure doesn’t look to bring much in the way of snow as it moves through the area in the coming days. Some chances of snow for our area here or there, but mostly just unsettled springtime weather. Dryer weather and another ridge look to move over the area by the middle of next week.

  • Today

    High Temperature: 46 to 50
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, WSW
    Sky Cover: Increasing clouds
    Irwin Snow: 0
    Elkton Snow: 0
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

  • Tonight

    Low Temperature: 29 to 33
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, WSW
    Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 1
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 1
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1

  • Tomorrow

    High Temperature: 40 to 44
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, W
    Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 1
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 1
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1

More Cornice Triggered Avalanches

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 04/19/2019
Name: Evan Ross

Subject: More Cornice Triggered Avalanches
Aspect: North, North East, East
Elevation: 9,500-12,500

Avalanches: A couple more cornice avalanches that failed within the past couple days. The most significant was outside our forecast area in the West Elk Wilderness. The cornice gouged to the ground and produced a very large D3 avalanche on a north face at 12,200ft. The other was a D2 on an east face at 12,000ft near East Beckwith that only entrained surface snow.

Skier triggered some small loose wet avalanches on a north facing below treeline slope.

Weather: Oooo man, that was a good one! Beautiful day. Calm to light winds at 12,000ft. Clear sky. Full on spring baby.

Snowpack: Shred-tastic out there. Spent most of the day on northerly facing terrain. The snow surface above 11,500ft was still mostly dry and great skiing where it wasn’t effected by the wind. Spent some time crossing easterly facing terrain near and above treeline and before noon, and any loose wet issues where minimal at that time. SW above treeline at around 1pm was warming right at ridgeline, didn’t travel lower on that slope but the loose wet also felt minimal. Wether loose wet avalanches became a more significant issue somewhere or not, we still chose to avoid some sunny terrain due to the potential for wet avalanches on rocky steep slopes.

Mountain Weather for 11,000ft. Friday, April 19

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 04/19/2019

Another beautiful spring day is coming up. A ridge of high pressure is sliding over Colorado. As it continues to move over today we’ll see the pressure gradient decrees and today’s winds decrease as compared to yesterday. High temperatures yesterday were in the 37 to 40 degree range at 11,000ft. We’ll see those high temps increase another 5 to 7 degrees today. While at lower elevations we’ll see high temperatures reaching up around 50 degrees or even warmer down in the valleys.

Looks like we’ll see a poor freeze on Saturday morning. High temps on Saturday will increase another couple degrees and some high clouds look to move in during the later afternoon.

A small disturbance may bring a dusting of snow on Saturday night. Clouds continue to hang out on Sunday as a larger low-pressure system moves on in. Unsettled weather with some snow will then start off next week.

  • Today

    High Temperature: 44 to 48
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, WNW
    Sky Cover: Clear
    Irwin Snow: 0
    Elkton Snow: 0
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

  • Tonight

    Low Temperature: 29 to 33
    Winds/Direction: 2 to 12, W
    Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
    Irwin Snow: 0
    Elkton Snow: 0
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

  • Tomorrow

    High Temperature: 46 to 50
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, WSW
    Sky Cover: Increasing clouds
    Irwin Snow: 0
    Elkton Snow: 0
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

Mountain Weather for 11,000ft

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 04/18/2019

The low-pressure system that brought clouds and a few snowflakes the past two days has now exited to the east of Colorado. Much like yesterday, the area will continue to sit under a cooler, but dry northwest flow. Expect air temperatures to warm a few degrees from yesterday, skies to be mostly clear, and gusty ridgetop winds. A ridge of high-pressure will slide into the area on Thursday evening and linger through the first part of Saturday. The ridge will bring some of the warmest temperatures of the spring under clear skies. Unsettled weather looks to make a return on Saturday afternoon and last through Monday with two systems impacting the area. The second system in this set may bring accumulating snowfall to the area.

  • Today

    High Temperature: 37 to 42
    Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, NW
    Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
    Irwin Snow: 0″
    Elkton Snow: 0″
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0″

  • Tonight

    Low Temperature: 22 to 27
    Winds/Direction: 6 to 16, NW
    Sky Cover: Clear
    Irwin Snow: 0″
    Elkton Snow: 0″
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0″

  • Tomorrow

    High Temperature: 44 to 49
    Winds/Direction: 4 to 14, W
    Sky Cover: Clear
    Irwin Snow: 0″
    Elkton Snow: 0″
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0″