Gothic area obs

CB Avalanche Center2017-18 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 02/27/2018
Name: Steve Banks

Subject: Gothic area obs
Aspect:
Elevation:

Avalanches:

Fresh windslabs observed on E Face of Gothic (R1-D2) E Face of Baldy (R1-D2) sometime last night and persistent slab on NE slope 40 degrees @ 10,400’ toward Rustlers Gulch on a steep convex rollover. (SS-N-R1-D2-O) in a terrain trap. Approx 48 hours old. See photos attached.

Weather: Warm with high of +2C and calm winds. Upper elevations saw breezy conditions from the NW. Strong solar radiation took a toll on what was left of the dry snow. No précis but did notice a passing cloud or two.
Snowpack: Surfaces a mixed bag of dry snow, sun crusts from zipper to 2” from yesterday’s sun and warm temps. Appearance of RC faceted crystals over the crust. W-NW steeper slopes held dry snow this morning while S-SE crusts softened by noonish. Probing and Ski pole poking revealed variable depths up to 120 cms but mostly “junky” snow with many crust/facet layers. SE slopes visited blow treeline have very little snow with lots of rocks showing.

Photos:

Wind slabs on E side of Baldy and the BTL convex slab.

Good look at the Mt Belleview slide.

Random below TL slab up Rustlers

Wind slab on Gothic. Crown at top, debris at bottom