Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 03/12/2018
Name: Kreston Rohrig
Subject: Wolverine Basin
Aspect: North, North East, East
Elevation: 9000′ – 11600′
Avalanches:
A large cornice fall avalanche was observed in Redwell Basin. It appeared to be recent, but hard to pin down the exact date.
Redwell Basin >TL-NE-C-N-R1-D1.5
Weather: A warm day despite the scattered cloud cover. Temps and solar input were significant enough to wet most snow surfaces that weren't sheltered or directly north facing.
Snowpack: Below treeline, the snowpack is weak and faceted in most areas. It was easy to probe to the ground as HS ranged from 80-120cm. Any aspect not protected or facing directly north up to 11000'was cooking and wet. Later in the day as the surface cooled, crusts were starting to form. Pit profile attached at 11600' on a NE facing slope below the north ridge of Wolverine Basin. Mid and upper layer slabs are consolidating into a stiff structure that is insulating the weak facets and DH near the ground. Weak snow in this area is still 4F to fist hard, but becoming more difficult to initiate a failure. ECTX PST end 45/100 Above treeline the start zones in this area were mostly scoured out and thin. A few lingering wind slabs looked to have formed midway down the paths.
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