AVALANCHES: We spotted large slides on all aspects, ranging from D2 to D3 in size. Mt. Gothic’s west face and Mt. Afley’s southeast face both produced impressively wide slides (R4). All of Northwest Bowl in the Anthracites ran (R4). The east face of Ruby and north face of Carbon produced large slides. The south side of Peeler Peak had a couple smaller crowns. All of these slides looked fresh in the past 24 hours. Older debris piles from days prior could be seen from slides originating off of Scarp Ridge’s NE slopes and off of Mt. Owen’s east face. Mt. Axtell’s First Bowl ran sometime today, clearing out a swath of small trees on its way to running full track across Coal Creek.

WEATHER: Brief clearing allowed views across the range.
Snow transport picked up in the afternoon under WNW winds and light snowfall. Cold temps. Broken to overcast skies.

SNOWPACK: 13″ overnight.

UPLOADS:

South face of Peeler Peak

East face of Ruby Peak

Fresh debris this evening with snapped trees below Axtell’s First Bowl

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AVALANCHES: Many naturall avalanches visible on Snodgrass looking south from Gothic townsite, Once mountain became visible around 11am Tuesday, March 3, 2015 I could see many natural slides on Snodgrass in all the usual locations. At least 8 slides visible and these are all the parts of Snodgrass furthest from CB, and less skied by town folk. Couldn’t see the popular ski runs on Snodgrass but would assume similar scenario.

I’ve seen Snodgrass with more slides on it, after bigger dumps, which indicates to me that a lot of the un-slid areas are near the tipping point but not quite there for naturals to occur, this would give me pause were I to ski an area that didn’t slide (which I’m not gonna do).

WEATHER:

SNOWPACK:

UPLOADS:…

AVALANCHES: N face Ohio, NW shoulder Ohio, numerous D2 slides in anthracites proper. One size 2 on north facing Scarp Ridge observed, as well as fresh windslab on Ruby/Dyke saddle around 1615. pics of axtell crowns

WEATHER: mild, light winds increasing in afternoon from SW. heavy snow started falling at 1700hrs. riming conditions.

SNOWPACK: moist heavy surface snow (6-8″) was reactive in isolated areas to explosives. Minor cracking throughout day.

UPLOADS:…

AVALANCHES: Observed from town a natural avalanche in the Red Coon Basin. Estimated as an R2-D2.5 but I could only see a portion of the crown. The avalanche was located on the Northeast facing portion of the generally East facing bowl.

WEATHER:

SNOWPACK:

UPLOADS:…

AVALANCHES: Most impressive avalanche cycle I’ve ever seen on Axtell. Slides in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th bowls that all ran yesterday or today. The last 4 ran wall-to-wall, up to 2,000 feet wide and most running 1,500 – 2,000 vertical to valley floor. These were N/ATL on N/NE/E aspects, with one wrapping to SE.. All crowns were 2-3 feet deep, failing on the same near surface facet layer buried mid-February and gouged to the ground in places. With the exception of a D2 in 1st Bowl (BTL), the remainder were all D2.5 to D3’s (N/ATL). Two (maybe 3?) were triggered remotely by a party in front of us from the ridge. The other three were naturals. We also remotely triggered a narrow D2 that ran to valley floor.

WEATHER: Warm. Periods of very light snow. Moderate southwest ridgetop winds with moderate snow transport. Overcast skies.

SNOWPACK: Last night’s snow was dense and top heavy. Lots of tree bombing today and southerly surfaces became moist. On north aspects near/below treeline, about 70-90 cm of 4F to F hard snow down to our fist hard, mid-February facet layer. All facets below that.

UPLOADS:

Crowns were 70 – 90 cm thick.  Generally 4F to 4F- slabs over fist hard facets.

2nd Bowl on Axtell.  (North aspect N/BTL)

Wang Chung Face (North aspect, near treeline)

3rd Bowl..”The Pencil”  (Northeast aspect NTL)

4th Bowl.  Hard to see the crown but it ran wall to wall, 2000 feet wide.   (E, NE, N aspect ATL)

5th Bowl above Green Lake. Also ran full width.  (NW-N-NE ATL)

Extent of crown lines observed 3/2/15.  The last crown line to lookers left is estimated.

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