Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 12/13/2019
Name: Joey Carpenter

Subject: Storm Break Tour

Aspect: East, South East, South…

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 12/13/2019
Name: Irwin Guides

Subject: Irwin Cat Ski Operation

Aspect: South West, West…

Location: Cement Creek Area
Date of Observation: 12/13/2019
Name: Cosmo

Subject: Cement Creek New Snow

Aspect:…

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 12/13/2019
Name: billy barr

Subject: Gothic Townsite 6am Obs

Aspect:…

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 12/10/2019
Name: Lawson

Subject: Baxter basin obs

Aspect: East, South East, South…

Location: Brush Creek Area
Date of Observation: 12/10/2019
Name: Eric Murrow

Subject: West Brush Creek

Aspect: East, South, South West

Elevation: 9000′ to 11450′
Avalanches: Gothic: 2xSS-R1-D2 large avalanche on “spork” and east face
Baldy: 1xSS-R2-D2 large avalanche on an alpine east face

WSC: 2xSS-R2-D2 SE alpine terrain features

Weather: Clear skies, mild temperatures, and light winds in terrain traveled. No significant loading but occasional drifting at highest terrains near peaks,.

Snowpack: Traveled up onto Teo ridge from West Brush Creek looking at slab structure to the east of Crested Butte. Profile dug in an east-facing meadow at 11,200′ found HS 78cm with cohesive slab resting above old, weak facets at the ground. Test results CTV and ECTP16. This structure produced numerous rumbling collapses in nearby areas.  HS on south and southwest facing near and below treeline was around 40cm.  Southerly terrain produced collapses as well but not nearly as large as east-facing terrain.  Southerlies had a double crust with facets beneath.  South-facing slopes below treeline had become moist by the afternoon.  Poor looking structure in most terrain traveled.  HS at 9900′ in valley bottom below Teocalli was around 5ocm.…

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 12/10/2019
Name: Sam Roberts

Subject: Coneys

Aspect: North, North East, East…

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 12/10/2019
Name: Evan Ross & Zach Kinler

Subject: Recent Natural Avalanches

Several fresh natural avalanches were observed on 12/10 thanks to the mostly clear sky and good light. Some of these avalanches looked very fresh and may have released during the AM hours of 12/10. Most avalanches in this natural cycle probably failed during the PM hours of 12/9 or the AM hours of 12/10.

Northeast:
4th Bowl on Axtell. A fresh large avalanche that failed at the ground and initiated on the cross-loaded portion of the bowl. The rest of the avalanche was obscured by the terrain in between.

East:
East Bowl in the Anthracites. A small Wind Slab looked to have released above the cliffs, it then fell onto the slope below and triggered a Persistent Slab failing on SH in the upper snowpack, which then collapsed the well-developed facets at the bottom of the snowpack releasing a larger Persistent Slab. All that also remotely triggered a Persistent Slab failing on the ground next to this avalanche. The avalanche debris had 3 to 5mm SH that had grown on them since the avalanche released.

Ruby/Owen Saddle. A large slab avalanche that appeared to have stepped down into old snow. Released in the last 24hr. SS-N-R1-D2-O

Red Coon Bowl. A Small Wind Slab released off the ridge and stepped slightly deeper into the snowpack releasing a small persistent Slab. SS-N-R1-D2-O

South East:
Afley Peak, ATL. A large slab 1-2ft deep and estimated to have broken into old snow. SS-N-R2-D2-O

3rd hand report: Skier triggered avalanche on Tree Chute in the Anthracites on 12/9. No specific information.…

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 12/10/2019
Name: Eric Murrow

Subject: Paradise Divide Storm check and Sunnies
Aspect: East, South East, South, South West
Elevation: 9400′ – 11850′

Weather: Mostly cloudy skies with intermittent snowfall, accumulations during day up to 1 inch.  Light to moderate NW winds, some transport observed in alpine terrain.

Avalanches: Visibility was poor most of the day making avi obs difficult. Just one recent D1 slab failed on an east aspect of Baldy right at treeline, crown completely refilled with only debris visible. Maybe crust/facet combo was involved but it really looked more just like a Wind Slab.
Baldy: 1xSS-R1-D1, SE

Snowpack: Storm total at 10,900′, right near Elkton, was around 24cm with 1.1″SWE. Traveled on mostly southerly facing slopes investigating the development and spread of the Persistent Slab avalanche problem. HS across this terrain was around 50cm to 70cm. Below treeline south and southeast aspects are not of much concern, two crusts were present but the lowest was on the ground and the upper one was buried 12/5 with little faceting beneath at this point (just a thin soft slab resting above from latest round of snow). Near treeline, the lowest crust was 6 to 8 inches above the ground with 1.5-2mm facets beneath. But very little snow volume above, no real slab except maybe for the most drifted locations at upper elevations. Near and above treeline locations do have a weak crust/facet structure near ground and could develop a Persistent Slab problem once a slab forms above. See photos for view of BTL and NTL SE structure.

Photos:…

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 12/09/2019
Name: Evan Ross

Subject: Great skiing on SW
Aspect: South, South West, West

Avalanches: Couple little Loose Snow Avalanches about. Most notable recent avalanche is covered in Eric’s observation. At mid to low elevations, along Climax area to Schuylkill, to Purple Palace, I didn’t observe any new or recent avalanches. You can still see old crowns from the 11/30 natural cycle and the Pittsburgh skier triggered avalanche on 12/5.

Weather: Partly Cloudy. Several snow showers adding up to maybe an inch for the day. Light to Moderate west to northwest winds, with moderate snow transport above treeline.

Snowpack: Total new snow accumulations were sitting around 8″. Skiing conditions were great. Steep south facing slopes had a crust just under the new snow, while SW to W facing slopes made for the best turns and didn’t have this same crust. Only one collapse and shooting crack observed on this tour. This occurred when crossing a tight and shaded gully that held old weak snow. Otherwise quiet for obvious signs to instability.…