Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/07/2019
Name: CBPSP

Subject: CBMR avalanche activity
Aspect: North, North East, North West
Elevation: 10,800′-11,500′

Avalanches:

Teocalli Bowl
NE aspect NTL several AE-SS-R1-D1-I avalanches where the storm slab was initiated by explosives and storm slabs on adjacent paths ran sympathetic.
N aspect NTL AS-SS-R4-D1.5-I

Big Hole
ASr-SS-R3-D2-O/G Triggered from 10′ away while approaching the slope.

Weather: Temperatures in the teens with moderate gusty winds from the west. Storm total 9″ at 7 % and still snowing S2.

Snowpack: The avalanche observations are from two different zones Teocalli bowl which has seen previous avalanche mitigation work and, and boot packing throughout the season so far. On N facing terrain in Teo NTL before the storm the HS was on avg. 60 cm’s of weak faceted snow as the aspect tilted East the HS was around 40 cm’s with a 10cm surface crust on top of weak faceted snow. The 2nd observation is from Big Hole BTL NW aspect which is an area that has been unaffected by any patrol traffic all season. This entire pitch did run natural 1 month prior on facets at the ground and has since filled in with 60 cm’s of weak snow that has also become weak and faceted since then.
Photos:

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/07/2019
Name: Evan Ross

Subject: Storm Slabs on SW to W
Aspect: South East, South West, West
Elevation: 9,500-10,300

Avalanches:

Several human triggered Storm Slabs. Mostly remote triggers. Small in size with 1 D2 on a bigger slope.

3# SS-AS-R1-D1-S. SW to W
1# SS-ASr-R2-D2-S/O. West
2# D2 to 2.5 natural avalanches out the NE facing Climax chutes. Poor visibility, could only see debris.

Weather: Headed out after noon. Obscured sky and snowing S1 for most of the afternoon. We were not observing much for wind, but the wind was certainly blowing slow above our elevations and on the way back home in open valleys.

Snowpack: Several muffled, but far traveling collapses on the 1/6 thin crust. However avalanches were failing about 5cm above the crust within the recent storm snow. That bottom 5cm of the storm snow was very soft and full of stellars. Spent a long time looking at these to make sure it wasn’t a layer of SH. HST wast about 16 to 18″ in this area at 3pm.

Shooting cracks down to the storm instability on many slopes there were not steep enough to avalanche.

Photos:

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/06/2019
Name: Eric Murrow

Subject: Red Coon Storm Day
Aspect: North, North East, South East, South
Elevation: 9,300′ – 11,600′

Avalanches:  While at ridgetop near treeline stomping around the edge of a N – NE facing drifted slope was able to trigger two avalanches. The first was N facing that only involved storm snow, fairly thin at only 6″ deep, D1. The second was higher up at a location that receives efficient drifting that was up to 14″ deep, small portion in center stepped down another 8 or 10″. See the pictures below.

Weather: Snowfall rates were generally s1 with periods of s2 before 1pm. Winds were light at valley bottom in the morning with a gradual increase during ascent to moderate at treeline. Transport and fresh cornice formation observed.

Snowpack: When new snow reached about 6 inches very minor cracking started to appear, very slight Storm Slab formation in top two or three inches of storm snow on southerly slopes near and below treeline. At ridge top found drifts up to 18 inches deep. At 11,600′ @ about 2pm HST reached 8.5″ with .55SWE.

Photos:

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/06/2019
Name: Billy Barr

Subject: Gothic PM weather update
Aspect:
Elevation:

Avalanches:

Weather: Since 7 a.m. sweep this morning there was 7½” new snow with water0.46″ and snowpack at winters deepest of 39″ (there was an additional 2″ snow 0.15″ water from 3-7 a.m. today). At sunset wind kicked up after being calm all day and is now moderately strong with little snowfall any more. When wind started I could hear slides running off Gothic Mountain.

Snowpack:
Photos:

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/04/2019
Name:

Subject: Coon Basin Slide
Aspect: South East
Elevation:

Avalanches:

Coon basin slide seen from lower red lady ridge. Already reported but just another interesting angle showing the skin track that triggered the slide.

Weather: Sunny, temps around 25-30 degrees

Snowpack: Wind&sun affected layer on top of a soft layer.

Photos:

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/05/2019
Name: Zach Kinler

Subject: Large slab avalanche and weak layers
Aspect: North, North East, East
Elevation: 10,000′-10,600′

Avalanches:

See picture below of suspected snowmobile triggered D2 slab avalanche from this morning. The avalanche was in part of the path of a larger natural slide that occurred on 12/5. The crown appeared 3-4 ft deep from a distance and ran ~250-300ft. It broke in old snow.

Weather: Increasing clouds with high ~0C, moderate WSW winds on a quick trip up to Scarps Ridge. Light and variable winds below ridge top.

Snowpack: Punched a couple holes on an East and North aspect below tree line to test our mid December weak layers before our next loading. These Surface Hoar and Faceted Crystal layers are clearly visible while excavating the pit and produced fractures in long column tests with no propagation within the standard test. Additional loading steps and prying of the slab produced planar fractures in all tests. The overlying slabs are still very soft at F- 4F- which may be limiting propagation at this point. See pictures below with a few test results.

Surface conditions were 5 mm SH laying flat on East and 10 mm upright SH on North which look to get buried tomorrow.
Photos:

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/05/2019
Name: Joey Carpenter

Subject: PP obs
Aspect: North East, East, South East, South
Elevation: 9800-11500

Avalanches:

Multiple loose snow avalanches observed throughout the valley, especially on steep solar aspects. Photo of debris from 3 loose snow avalanches on steep SW facing terrain. R1D1.5. Not big enough to fully bury but certainly enough to carry.

Weather: Prior to sun making it to valley bottoms, inversion held temperatures below 0F. Rapid warming quickly brought temps into mid 30s. Low, flat clouds filtered in throughout the day. Winds went from calm to ~10mph by 2pm. No snow transport observed.

Snowpack: 2-3mm surface hoar observed between 9800-10800ft on all aspects we traveled. Intense solar radiation cooked SE, S off by midday. E, NE preserved and will presumably be buried by incoming storm. HS @ 11.5k E aspect 160cm. S, SE aspects held solid 2cm crust from yesterday even near upper elevations. During intense morning sun, the crust began to moisten and refroze as clouds moved in throughout the day.

Photos: