Irwin Tenure and Ruby Range

CB Avalanche Center March 28, 20152014-15 Observations

LOCATION: Kebler Pass Area
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 03/27/2015
NAME: Evan Ross

SUBJECT: Irwin Tenure and Ruby Range
ASPECT: East, South, West
ELEVATION: NTL/BTL

WEATHER: Light to Moderate westerly winds at ridge line. Clear sky. High temps of 37 at 12k and 47 at 10k.

SNOWPACK: The recent storm snow became moist or wet down to the 3/23 Interface on all terrain. A few quick pits throughout the day found frozen snow below the 3/23 Interface with moist grains below this very thick crust ~25cms. Skier triggered loose wet avalanches where very likely at 12:00pm on East and 2:00 pm on West.

Above treeline in the Ruby range loose wet avalanche where having a party. These avalanches where running on south east an south aspects in the areas we could see and where all in the D1 to D1.5 range. While relatively small, they would have wrecked your world if you got hit and tumbled by one. Something else of note, all this loose wet activity was starting from rock outcrops and slopes without big rock outcrops haven’t shed yet.

UPLOADS:

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Red lady Bowl

CBAC March 28, 20152014-15 Observations

GUIDE(S): Donny

DATE: 15-03-27

ACTIVITY: BC Skiing

LOCATION: Red Lady Bowl

ELEVATION: 9200’ to 12,400′

ASPECT: SE – S

WEATHER: Clear, warm, moderate winds throughout day.

SNOWPACK/AVALANCHE OBS: Exactly as described on the bulletin. The top of the bowl had small wind slabs and bigger cornices. There’s about a foot of new snow deposited on the old surface and the upper half of this is warm and dense. In the middle of the sandwich was drier, winter-like snow. Ski cutting didn’t produce any activity. There’s evidence of wet, loose slide activity from yesterday – most likely initiated by small cornice drops. We were out of there before anything heated up too much.

Mountain Weather at 11,000ft March 28, 2015

CB Avalanche Center March 28, 2015Weather

Date: 03/28/2015

We have another mild day on tap, with mostly sunny skies and above average high temperatures. A cold front will be moving over our area this evening bringing gusty frontal winds and increased clouds. There is a small chance of a few snow showers but they would be very light and spotty in distribution. Our weather remains dry heading into next week with more above normal temperatures. There are a few hiccups in this dry flow next week but forecast models are not finding good agreement on what will happen yet. Thursday and Friday next week looks like the best chance for a bigger change in weather but we’ll have to wait for more details on that.

Today

High Temperature: 46-51
Wind Speed: 10-20
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
Snow: 0

Tonight

Low Temperature: 29
Wind Speed: 10-20
Wind Direction: W, NW
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow:

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 46
Wind Speed: 5-15
Wind Direction: W, NW
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow: 0

snow surveys

CB Avalanche Center March 27, 20152014-15 Observations

LOCATION: Crested Butte Area
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 03/26/2015
NAME: ADB

SUBJECT: snow surveys
ASPECT: South East, South
ELEVATION: BTL

AVALANCHES:

WEATHER: Mostly sunny, calm, warm

SNOWPACK: Two snow courses: Bottom of Red Lady Glades (Keystone) and the other by Mike’s Mile (Crested Butte).

Hard rain crust found at both courses 4 inches below the surface. Felt like an ice lens trying to take snow cores.
Depth of snow ranged between 24 and 35 inches on average. A few spots protected by tree cover were between 7 and 12 inches.
Red Lady Glade Course appears to be much warmer as soil plugs were wet and loose.

UPLOADS:

Mount Emmons

CB Avalanche Center March 27, 20152014-15 Observations

LOCATION: Crested Butte Area
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 03/26/2015
NAME: than

SUBJECT: Shredwell
ASPECT: North, North East
ELEVATION: ATL, BTL

AVALANCHES: plenty of wet slide activity that looked to be two days old on s/sw faces in lower part of red well

WEATHER: sunny, warm, light winds up high 10mph range

SNOWPACK: Boot top goodness north face above treeline, boot top with crust underneath in wrong.

Friends Hut Area, Brush Creek

CB Avalanche Center March 27, 20152014-15 Observations

LOCATION: Brush Creek Area
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 03/26/2015
NAME: Zach Guy

SUBJECT: Friends Hut Area, Brush Creek
ASPECT:
ELEVATION:

AVALANCHES:

WEATHER:

SNOWPACK: No signs of instability today except a few rollerballs on steep southerly aspects ATL. Windslabs trending toward unreactive…kicked around on a few pockets and couldn’t get any to budge. On north aspects above treeline, the recent snow (~6″) landed on 1mm near surface facets; that seems were you could trigger a windslab if you found one, but most of these slopes were scoured back by NW to N winds in the past 2 days. Surfaces became wet to moist on SE to S to SW aspects near/above treeline today, with moisture down to the old 3/24 crust interface.
Several profiles on the north face of Crystal Peak (ATL) in areas that didn’t avalanche during early March cycle still showing persistent slab structure, with 60-90 cm of 1F slab over Feb facet layer, ranging from 1.5mm to 3mm in size, generally 4F to F hard. Mixed results from ECTX to ECTP, seemed most concerning in areas with shallower snow depth.

UPLOADS:

Mountain Weather March 27, 2015

CB Avalanche Center March 27, 2015Weather

Date: 03/27/2015

A high pressure ridge over the great basin will keep mild spring weather in our area through Saturday. This ridge will see some flatting as a trough races through on Saturday night. This trough will likely only bring increased clouds and stronger winds to our area with a very low chance of precipitation. A few snow showers during this time are more likely in Northern Colorado. If winds will be picking up much, we’ll have that info in our forecast discussion tomorrow morning, as I’m sure the Grand Traverse Racers are debating what layers to ski in tomorrow. At this point, I would guess you’ll be dealing with a low temperature in the low 20’s for Saturday night’s race. Our next chance for a weather pattern change will be around Tuesday night as a cold front pushes through our area.

Today

High Temperature: 43
Wind Speed: 10-20
Wind Direction: NW
Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
Snow: 0

Tonight

Low Temperature: 25
Wind Speed: 5-15
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Clear
Snow: 0

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 45
Wind Speed: 5-15
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow: 0

Star Pass, Brush Creek

CBAC March 26, 20152014-15 Observations

NAME: Zach Guy

DATE: 3/25/15

Around 6″ of new snow since Monday night, drifted areas holding a foot or more in places over frozen crusts.Strong winds from the W yesterday shifted to NW today. Noted a few small natural windslabs, (D1) on E aspects yesterday above treeline, and skier triggered a few small windslabs today on E to S aspects above treeline. All D1, 4-10″ thick, failing on the storm interface (crust) or in mid-storm layers, near Star Pass.Still seeing some unsupportive crusts below treeline that haven’t gotten a much refreeze insulated by the fresh snow (4-12″ refreeze). Small rollerballs today on low elevation sunny slopes. Above treeline feels rock solid below the new snow on sun exposed aspects.

Irwin and Ruby Range

CB Avalanche Center March 26, 20152014-15 Observations

LOCATION: Kebler Pass Area
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 03/25/2015
NAME: Evan Ross

SUBJECT: Irwin and Ruby Range
ASPECT: East, South, West
ELEVATION: Near and Above treeline

AVALANCHES: Several natural point release avalanches and one soft slab observed in the Ruby Range on south and east aspects above treeline. Didn’t get a good chance to see these avalanches before they where hidden in the shade, but they all appeared to be in the D1 to D1.5 range.

WEATHER: Heavy snowfall and near whiteout conditions Wednesday morning with about 4″ of new snow in an hour or two. Sky became partly cloudy by 1pm with strong solar at times.

SNOWPACK: Irwin storm totals where about 14” on the storm board Wednesday morning, from Monday nights to Wednesday mornings snowfall. Wind patterns where poor for creating windslabs in the area and otherwise the new snow was holding up well on the old snow interface. Snow surfaces became moist on east, south and west when the sun came out mid day.

UPLOADS:

Mountain Weather March 26,2015

CB Avalanche Center March 26, 2015Weather

Date: 03/26/2015

Your probably tired of reading about a dry ridge over the western U.S. Unfortunately that will be the case again as another ridge is building today bringing us back to dry weather and a warming trend into the weekend. At least the spring breakers will be exited! Cold low temperatures from last night will rebound today under mostly clear skies. A small shortwave may flatten the high pressure ridge on Saturday with increased winds and clouds but any possible perspiration loots to be very light at this time. Models don’t have a handle on next week yet so we’ll just have to focus on the short term weather.