Irwin Tenure

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 03/21/2016
Name: Irwin Guides
Subject: Irwin Tenure
Aspect: East, South, West
Elevation: 10,000-12,000

Avalanches:
Weather: Sunny with thin clouds all day, winds were SW 20’s and gusts to 40’s. High Temps
45F/33F at 16:00.
Snowpack: Thin clouds and winds delayed warming of snow surfaces until noon ish. Corn like
skiing on southerly aspects most afternoon with wet snow on the surface, did not
test any steep southerlies but no wet loose activity observed.

Mountain Weather

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/21/2016

We will see one more day of warm, unseasonably warm weather with increasing southwesterly winds ahead of a major change in the weather for the workweek ahead. Starting Tuesday afternoon, a strong, moisture laden cold front will invade the Colorado Rockies. At this time snow amounts look promising, 10-14”+ and another storm on the way late in the week, possibly in time for the Grand Traverse race night. Stay tuned.

Avalanche observations Taylor Pass

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Cement Creek Area
Date of Observation: 03/20/2016
Name: J.Mortimer
Subject: Avalanche observations
Aspect: East
Elevation: 12100

Avalanches: HS-AM-R2-D3-O
HS 370cm
Slab thickness 170cm
Slab width 150-200 yards
Vert. fall 400 ft.
East aspect
12100 ft.
This slide was triggered earlier today the 20 of March by an unknown snowmobiler.
It is location is on the ridge between Taylor pass and Taylor peak just below point 12,246
Two other avalanches were observed north of hunter hill.
These two other avalanches are very similar to the one off of the Taylor pass ridge in regards to aspect elevation incline as well as loading patterns.
The hunter hill slides most likely ran sometime around the 16th of march.
All three slides were in lee ridge top alpine locations and are deep, large HS avalanches
Weather: clera ,calm 30F
Snowpack: HS at the crown 370cm

Taylor-ridge-3
Taylor-ridge-2
Taylor-ridge-1

Mountain Weather

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/20/2016

A large scale ridge will slide over western Colorado today, allowing strong warming and dry weather through Monday. Higher elevations will still see those cool northwest winds that may give the scantily clad Al Johnson racers some pause today, but in general, very warm temperatures can be expected today and tomorrow before snow returns for the rest of the work week.

Scarp Ridge

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 03/19/2016
Name: AB
Subject: Scarp Ridge
Aspect:
Elevation: 9-12000

Avalanches:
Weather: Mild temps, Few clouds, Steady moderate winds with strong gusts from the W-NW
Snowpack: One old D1 persistent slab noticed on east aspect lover down on the Evan’s basin ridge.

Mount Emmons

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 03/19/2016
Name: WN
Subject: Mount Emmons
Aspect: North, North West
Elevation: 9-12000

Avalanches:
Weather: Clear, warm, dry, light winds on the Red Lady skin track with moderate winds coming from the NW on the Redwell side.
Snowpack:The wind has had its battle with the surface of Redwell Basin. Sastrugi and wind board has affected the entire area with wind transporting fine grained facets. New snow from the prior storm was wind swept with snow drifts ranging from 10-12cm, HS ranging from 200-180cm at 11,000ft. Observed in Redwell Basin reminisce of wind affected avalanche activity on NE aspect ATL as well as in Right Chute NTL as see in the attached photo. No signs of instability.

NW-Aspect

Wind and warm (again)

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 03/19/2016
Name: jsj
Subject: Wind and Warm (again)
Aspect: North, North East, South, South West
Elevation: 9-10,800

Avalanches:
Weather: Clear, Warm, winds Mod to Strong with gusts throughout the day from the WSW
Snowpack: Snow surfaces a mix of Knife hard wind polished white ice; Fist hard soft, wind affected or wind deposited powder; or moist surfaces where exposed to sun. No new instabilities or avalanche activity seen in the range as of 1300.

Anthracite Mesa-Coneys

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 03/19/2016
Name: ADB
Subject: Anthracite Mesa-Coneys
Aspect: North East, East, West
Elevation: BTL

Avalanches: No recent activity. no cracking collapsing, or whumping on skin track except on valley bottom.
Weather: Clear, light winds.
Snowpack: sun crusts on SE slopes. A few rollers.
East and NE slopes had wintry snow. Ridgeline had 2 inch wind slabs intermittently.

Snodgrass

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 03/19/2016
Name: Zach Guy
Subject: Snodgrass
Aspect: North East, East
Elevation: 11,100-9,400 ft

Avalanches: See photo below of Mt Axtell slide first observed yesterday by JSJ.
Weather: Clear, moderate N valley winds with some small plumes observed on a few peaks near East Maroon Pass. Warm temps.
Snowpack: ~4-8″ of dry, settled powder over 3/14 crust layer, well bonded. Snow became more wind-affected, with soft sastrugi and denser wind drifts towards valley bottom. No signs of instability.

Recent natural slide on Mt. Axtell, NE aspect ATL, above Green Lake.

Recent natural slide on Mt. Axtell, NE aspect ATL, above Green Lake.

Mountain Weather

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/19/2016

We are under dry northwest flow today, with a low pressure system over the Mid-West and a high pressure ridge advancing our way across the Great Basin. Winds will relax a few notches and temperatures will climb a few more degrees compared to yesterday. This trend continues through the weekend. Looking ahead, a Pacific system impacts our mountains on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.