Zone: Northwest Mountains
Location: Drove to the Rock Slabs parking lot just before Emerald Lake in Gothic Valley. In Slate drove to Pittsburg.
Date of Observation: 11/08/2020
Name: Ben Pritchett
Subject: Roadside drive up Gothic and Slate River
Aspect:
Elevation:
Avalanches:Â Saw one relatively thin slab avalanche in extreme / cliffy terrain in the north bowl on Gothic Mountain.
Date Location/Path # Elev Asp Type Trig SizeR SizeD
View 2020/11/08 †Gothic 1 >TL N SS N R1 D2
Weather: Ridgeline Wind Speed: 10-20 mph
Ridgeline Wind Direction: SW
Wind Loading: Moderate
Temperature: 25 F
Sky Cover: Overcast
Depth of New Snow: 20 cm
Depth of Total Snow: 20 cm
Weather Description: Snowing at sunrise, skies broke through AM hours, then clouds increased and cloud bottoms dropped to near peak height through the early afternoon. Snowfall began again around 3-4pm.
Snowpack: Snowpack Description: Snow depth in the valley bottom near Crested Butte was around 3-5″, nearing a foot as we approached Schofield Pass and Pittsburg. Second hand report of 12″ in the townsite of Irwin measured by a reliable observer.
Forecast BC Danger Level: Moderate
Observed BC Danger Level: Low in the majority of the terrain seen. Mostly ice and a bit of new snow on dirt.
Changes that would raise danger to high: 2+” SWE
Photos:
