Name: Zach Guy
Title: Mt. Owen
Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 12/12/2014
Aspect: North, North East, East
Elevation: 11,000 – 13,000 ft

Snowpack: For ATL slopes over a week out since last snow, the snow surface is remarkably unscathed by wind. The Dec 1 snowfall has metamorphosed to rippled near surface facets (~3″ thick), over older, stiff windboard. Isolated gulley features have a thin windcrust over the NSF. Breakable MF crust as the aspect changes to ESE. No signs of instability on slopes up to 45 degrees, except for shallow facet sluffing, enough to require heads-up sluff management. Can’t recall the last time I saw such a widespread PWL so well preserved on the surface at all elevation bands here in CB.

Name: Irwin Guides (CBMG)
Location: Red Lady Glades
Elevation: 9200-1200
Aspect: SW
Weather: Sunny blue bird, no wind or precip

Snowpack/Avalanche Obs: Snow at lower elevations is a mixed bag of melt freeze sun crust and powdery snow ranging in depth from 10-20cm. One collapse was observed at 12000 at the goal posts. No instabilities seen. The glades have a sun crust on W and south facing slopes that moistened throughout the day. Shaded areas have powdery snow. Variable depth of snow averaging at about 30cm at mid to upper elevations. Surface hoar in shaded areas. Thin pack towards the bottom.

Name: Dustin Eldridge
Title: Schuylkill Ridge 12-11-14
Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 12/11/2014
Aspect: North, North East, East
Elevation: 9000-11300

Avalanches: None observed.

Weather: Warm and calm. Light high elevation clouds. Snow surface was moistened on southerly aspects.

Snowpack: Low elevations held almost entirely faceted snow on shaded slopes with slightly more consolidated pack on NE faces. Crust softened by the midday sun was evident on S-facing slopes up high. Facets abounded under the crust, snow height around 40-50 cm. Pit dug on N-aspect , 37 degrees, 11,300 ft, showed 75 cm of snow with Fist-hardness (2-3 mm faceted crystals) down to 50-60 cm. From there the pack was slightly stiffer (4f, 1mm wind compacted)) down to about 5 cm (2-3 mm facets) where a depth hoar layer was evident. Extended column test showed ECTP 18, Q2.5 on the ground.

Observer: Ross (Irwin Guides)
Date: 12/10/14
Location: Redwell Basin
Elevation: 12400-8900
Aspect: N
Weather: Sunny mid 30’s no precip or wind, strong solar

Snowpack/Avalanche Obs: From Kebler trail head the snow pack is thin and variable. On the south and south west aspects there is a sun crust that is somewhat supportable. Snow depths range from 10 to 20cm. Still powdery in the shaded areas. As you gain in elevation the snow depth increases with moist surface snow on sunny south facing aspects. At higher elevations 11500 wind scouring has reduced snow amounts to 10cm. Pockets of drifted snow exists in sheltered areas.

Redwell basin at 12300 has a week faceted snowpack especially around the rock bands. A slight wind crust exists at higher elevations and decreases as you drop in elevation. Snow depths range from 30cm to 50cm. No instabilities seen. At lower elevations the snow pack is week and shallow and through the waterfall section of redwell stumps and rocks are covered by 20cm of week faceted snow. At the bottom of redwell……its damm scary!!

Name: MR
Title: Coon Basin and Climax Chutes
Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 12/10/2014
Aspect: North, North East
Elevation: 9,000 to 12,000

Snowpack: Skied a northeastern aspect of Coon, 15cm on a supportive crust. Top of climax northeast aspect found unconsolidated facets to the ground. Significant sluffing which ran with noteworthy energy the length of the upper chute until it chokes out in aspens. Dipping off the ridge and onto a more easterly aspect at maybe 10,500 the snowpack felt like more of a cohesive slab so we returned to skiing the shallow ridge. Lower down and back onto the northeastern aspect we again skied facets to the ground.

Name: Zach Guy
Title: Near Lake Irwin
Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 12/10/2014
Aspect: North West
Elevation: Below treeline

Snowpack: The top 3″ of the snowpack is small (1mm), near surface facets, fist hardness. The midpack is consistent, 4F to 1F-, mostly rounded grains. No results in any stability tests. Much different snowpack than what I’ve observed recently closer to town.

Name: Donny (Irwin Guides)
Title: Coon Basin
Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 12/09/2014
Aspect: North East, East, South East, South
Elevation: 9185′ to 12,080′

Weather: Clear, Warm (above freezing at low elevations, near freezing at upper elevations), calm to light wind on ridge tops

Snowpack: HS of 0cm at trailhead to 75 – 90 cm in wind loaded areas. Generally weak structure with facets throughout snowpack. Ski pen of 5 to 10 cm in most areas. Ski pen of 20cm in upper slopes of Coon Basin. Boot pen of 70 cm on wind loaded pocket above Climax Chutes. Highly variable snowpack which doesn’t produce avalanche activity or signs of instability; but doesn’t inspire confidence either. No recent avalanche activity observed. Lower elevations and steeper slopes with SE-S-SW aspect are warming significantly and the crust seems to get thicker by the day.