Coneys

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/04/2016
Name: Ellie Southworth
Subject: Coneys
Aspect: East
Elevation: 10,330 ft

Avalanches:
Weather: Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. -1° at 230pm at 10,330 feet.
Snowpack: HS around 100 cm at 10,330 feet with well developed facets on the bottom 35 cm and a 65 cm cohesive slab on top. The bottom half of the slab was P and 1F hardness softening to 4F in the upper 15-20 cm.

We skied a 29° slope and observed no signs of instability while skiing but observed a collapse while we were walking around our pit area. ECTP 18 SC failing on facets 45 cm from the ground.

Mountain Weather

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 01/05/2016

Yesterday, temperatures above 9,000ft soared into the low 30s, under gradually increasing clouds and very light southerly winds. Today, we will see the southerly disturbance continue to bring cloud cover and greater chances for accumulating snowfall across higher terrain today, but no significant totals until a reinforcing shortwave works across our area tomorrow afternoon into Thursday. Snow totals from this storm look to give the higher peaks 8-12” by Friday, under light southerly wind.

Irwin Tenure

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/04/2016
Name: Irwin Guides
Subject: Irwin Tenure
Aspect: West
Elevation: 10,000-12,000

Avalanches:
Weather: Warm clear morning with high temp of 36F, clouded up slowly throughout the day.
Snowpack: HS between 20-100cm’s with an average of 60cm’s and most 4F hardness through out. Thin shallow areas all faceted 2-3mm. Slab feels pretty isolated in loaded terrain features. Little to no cracking on big
shots, just peeling the onion on surface snow but roughing up the surface pretty well.

Castle Valley L & R: Hand shots and 9£ airblasts produced isolated wind slab
pockets of rock bands and shallow dribblers running mostly full track. Slab isolated
and mostly shallow soft snow 40-50cm’s F to 4F. Debris roughing up surfaces nicely
for next storm

Mount Baldy

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/04/2016
Name: Ian Havlick
Subject: Mount Baldy
Aspect: East, South East, South, South West, West
Elevation: 9200-12000

Avalanches:
Weather: Increasing clouds in PM, above freezing temps NTL, light southerly wind near treeline.
Snowpack: no signs of instability today. first time in deeper part of zone since before xmas. remarkably different feeling snowpack compared to Gothic/Brush/Cement. Deep and stable. Widespread surface hoar at all elevations, moistening southerly slopes and crust forming with increasing clouds early afternoon. Small dry loose avalanches off steep terrain in Pittsburg area, minimal cornice development considering almost mid january. tracks on steeper slopes.

Snodgrass/Gothic

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/04/2016
Name: Donny Roth
Subject: Snodgrass/Gothic
Aspect: East, South East, South, South West, West
Elevation: 9500-11200

Avalanches:
Weather: Increasing clouds in PM, high temp of +3ºC @ 12:00 @ 10,400’, Calm all day
Snowpack: No signs of instabilities all day; SkiPen around 5 to 10cm on average while skinning; surface was moist on south aspects, SH in the shade. South aspect between 10,800’ and 11,200’ had an HS 90 to 100 cm with the bottom 20cm being well developed facets and upper 70cm being a cohesive slab that had more resistance in the bottom. This was the most concerning snow I found all day and we worked low-angle terrain in the trees. Moving to the east, we found a slope that had avalanched previously. There was an average HS of 50cm, 4F snow that was mostly stronger at the bottom with the thin crust and a thin layer of facets under it. We skied a short 35º pitch and then it mellowed to lower 30s. We had no signs of instabilities.

Old Fractures

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/03/2016
Name: Pete Sowar
Subject: Old Fractures
Aspect:
Elevation: 10-13,000
“fresh crack party that skied slope possibly triggered or did not notice”

Mountain Weather

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 01/04/2016

Temperatures have slowly moderated from our frigid overnight lows on Friday. High clouds from weak systems to our southwest will continue to move into our area and we may see some light accumulations over the next few days as the atmosphere settles into a more “classic” El Nino setup. Ridging will build over the great basin over the week and push moisture closer to the Mexico border. No big headliner storms on tap, but we look to sneak 3-6” over the next few days if all goes well.

Irwin Tenure

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/03/2016
Name: Irwin Guides
Subject: Irwin Tenure
Aspect: West
Elevation: 10,000-12,000

Avalanches: Shallow wind slabs D1 in Lone Wolf,
nothing of note. Field of Screams had 2 big releases. 1 on a 9£ jug in the middle of
gut. SS-AE-R2-D2-O/G running on the facets at the bottom. Almost a hard slab as
there were some bigger chunks, but flowed like a SS. Second one went on a 20£
airblast above the crown in the hangfire. SS-AB-R2-D2-O/G. Crown depth extremely
variable from 6” to 4’
Weather:
Snowpack:

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Red Lady Bowl

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/03/2016
Name: Donny Roth
Subject: Red Lady Bowl
Aspect: East, South East
Elevation: 10,000-12,400

Avalanches:
Weather: Increasing clouds throughout day, strongest solar in a while in early afternoon, no wind, temps in 20s for most of day.
Snowpack: No signs of instabilities. SkiPen around 10cm while ascending, 20cm while descending. SH in all the usual places. Surface snow was moist on steeper, southern aspects.

Baldy

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/03/2016
Name: than
Subject: Baldy
Aspect: South
Elevation: ATL

Avalanches: nothing new observed
Weather: No wind, warm up high
Snowpack: ski pen 8 inches, skied south bowl, boot top goodness. One minor collapse as third of three skiers was cutting across top of bowl