Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 02/09/2018
Name: Eric Murrow
Subject: Skooks first bowl
Aspect: North, North East, East
Elevation: 9,000 – 11,300
Avalanches:
We triggered on small slab mid track on this run. My line choice did not allow me to inspect crown but it was 14-18” deep and approx. 20 feet wide. It ran at most 50 vertical feet. Failed on small convexity. Some rocks were just visible in bed surface. My best guess was that this failed on an old bed surface based on old crown several hundred vertical feet above, but it’s depth also corresponds to 1/20 interface.
Weather: Mild air temps through out tour. Winds at upper ridge were reasonable with light gusting, no snow transport visible.
Snowpack: Snowpack structure near ridge top at 11300 down to 10,300 was generally supportive to skis. HS was right about 100cm through this terrain with around 60cm of 4finger hard snow capping weak basal depth hoar. Old crowns in this terrain were completely filled in except in a few spots, debris was no longer distinguishable.
Photos: