Join us for a snowpack update followed by a discussion of a real – life avalanche burial and rescue with local snowmobiler Kain Leonard. Sunday February 4th, 6pm at the High Alpine Brewing Company in Gunnison.
Capital Campaign
Dear CBAC Community,
Our motto is, “We do it every day,” and for 24 years our commitment to safeguarding lives in our valley through professional weather and avalanche forecasting has been unwavering.
Since our humble beginnings in a basement on Sopris Avenue, our center has grown and evolved and set the standard for excellence as a locally run avalanche center in this critical public safety service. The success of our model has others recognizing the value of what the CBAC is doing and since we started, eight similar centers have opened throughout the West and in Alaska.
Having a forecast team that lives in the area brings unmatched expertise in understanding our local snowpack, weather patterns, and the intricacies of our terrain. It is the backbone of our safety efforts in the valley.
Yet, like so many other entities in the Gunnison Valley, we are not immune to current economic challenges and keeping experienced and qualified staff in place has become more and more difficult. We’re at a pivotal moment and we need your support.
To address that, we’ve launched a Capital Campaign aimed at establishing an endowment fund dedicated to our forecast staff. Our goal is to raise $50,000 and we’re excited to say that we’ve already received a generous offer to match the first $10,000 in donations.
Your partnership in this campaign is a direct investment in safety and expertise. Your commitment to our cause will empower us to retain and support our exceptional staff, not just this year, but for years to come, thereby safeguarding our ability to provide top-tier avalanche forecasting.
As a token of our gratitude, we have a CBAC embroidered down coat from our friends at Big Agnes for every donation of $1000 or more. In addition, everyone who participates in the Capital Campaign will be entered into a drawing to spend a day in the field with a forecaster to see exactly what they do, and how they do it.
My hope is that you see the value in what we do and join us in securing the future of avalanche forecasting in our valley. Your generosity will make a tangible impact in our ability to provide a critical public safety service and ensure that we continue to “do it every day.”
Please visit https://crm.bloomerang.co/HostedDonation?ApiKey=pub_fca5b45d-4a03-11e7-afbe-024e165d44b3&WidgetId=59574272 to contribute.
Thank you and here’s to a safe and snowy 2024!
Than Acuff
Executive Director
Crested Butte Avalanche Center
Avalanche Terrain Map for Crested Butte
We’re excited to release an Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES) map of the Crested Butte forecast area to help you with tour planning. ATES is a scale used to categorize the severity of avalanche exposure, strictly based on the landscape, regardless of snowpack conditions. The ATES scale classifies terrain into five categories based on slope angle, forest density, slope shape, terrain traps, avalanche frequency/magnitude, starting zone size and density, runout zone characteristics, interaction with avalanche paths, and route options for managing exposure. See the draft definitions of the five-level scale (V.2) below.
For this year-long project, we partnered with OnX and Beacon Guidebooks to categorize terrain around Crested Butte as Simple (Class 1 = Green), Challenging (Class 2 = Blue), Complex (Class 3 = Black), and Extreme (Class 4 = Red). We used an automated model approach called AutoATES, and calibrated the release areas and runout models using historical data from our avalanche records and local experience to tweak model inputs such as tree density and alpha angles. Although models are never perfect, the map should provide a useful resource for route planning and identifying what terrain is relatively more or less exposed to avalanche hazards. Remember that this map is independent of snowpack conditions; some days it is safe to travel in complex terrain, and other days it is dangerous. And you can still get into trouble in simple terrain under certain conditions. This map is available for free on our website here, or under the “Resources” tab on our website menu. Bookmark it as another tool! You can also use this map offline in the field using the OnX app (subscription required).
“When snowpack is the question, terrain is the answer!”
New Observation Platform
The CBAC is rolling out a new observation platform this season, in partnership with the National Avalanche Center. This platform will be used by most avalanche centers around the country, so you’ll be looking at the same familiar tools if you go skiing or riding in California, Washington, Wyoming, Idaho, etc. The platform also improves our analysis capabilities and data management, and is better suited for future developments like a mobile app.
The observation form is intuitive. You can choose between the short form for simple text descriptions and photo uploads, or a long form which allows you to enter avalanche and weather details, along with problem assessments. The observation viewer has three tabs: observations, avalanches, and visualization tools. Check them out! There are a few examples below. As with any new tool, there will be a bit of a learning curve for all of us, but hopefully you’ll find some of the new features helpful for your backcountry adventures.
FAQ’s
Do I have to provide a location when I submit an observation?
Yes, the form requires a location name and a map pin. The location is used in our analysis tools and it is helpful for us to understand how your observation fits into a bigger picture of regional patterns. If you’d prefer to protect your secret stash, you can drop a pin at the trailhead where you started from or in the general area of travel.
What about observations from previous seasons?
All observations from previous seasons are archived on our website still. You can find them under “Resources” from the website menu. We are working on ingesting historical avalanche data into this new tool.
Where is the old avalanche rose?
The new visualization tools allow you to filter your search spatially or by avalanche size, aspect, elevation, trigger, problem, etc, similar to the rose. We are currently working on linking the new database to our avalanche rose so that it still functions. We’ll add it back to the website when/if that happens.
What if I don’t want to fill out an observation form?
You can still text us (970-444-2170), email us (cbavalanche@gmail.com), or tell us what you saw at the trailhead.
A mobile app?
The Northwest Avalanche Center has been developing a mobile app with offline functionality. We will be working with them to make this resource available to our community in the future.
CBAC 2022/23 Annual Report
CBAC’s 2021/22 Annual Report is available to view or download here. The report relives one of the biggest winters of this century, along with the outreach and operational accomplishments of the CBAC. We also recognize the many sponsors, donors, and partners who are critical to our mission. Thank you!
