Date of Observation: 04/06/2023
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Traveled on various aspects on Mineral Point and Cascade to 12,500′.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Numerous small dry loose avalanches ran today on northerly terrain, and we ski-triggered more of the same (D1). A couple small wet loose ran on an E/SE aspect BTL of Cascade (D1). Several large cornice falls failed sometime since the storm ended, past 48 hours (D2). Several D1 to D2 wind slabs ran during the storm, some related to cornice fall. See photos and details below, the storm-related avalanches are coded in a separate ob.
Weather: Clear skies, calm winds, cold temps near zero this morning rising to 20F at 12k midday.
Snowpack: There’s about a foot of fairly dense storm snow near and above treeline in the Ruby Range with signs of previous drifting. The snow appears to be bonding well to the storm interface, based on targeted feedback from numerous steep test features. We got some shallow cracking a few inches deep from the most recent drifting. The snow stayed dry on northerlies, got a little moist on easterlies, and just the surface got wet on southerlies. The dust is resurfacing on low-elevation southerlies near town.
Photos:
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #1″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]Estimated avalanche date: 04/05/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Oh-Be-Joyful Basin
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: N
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Cornice
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size:
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Near Garfield Peak. Likely failed last 48 hours.
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #2″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]
Estimated avalanche date: 04/06/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Anthracite Creek (West side of Ruby Range, Marcellina)
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Cornice
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size:
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: South of the Blob and Nipple in Middle Anthracite Creek. Likely failed last 48 hours.
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #3″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]
Estimated avalanche date: 04/06/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Beckwith Range
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger:
Trigger modifier:
Type: Cornice
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size:
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: East Beckwith. Likely failed last 48 hours.
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #4″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]
Estimated avalanche date: 04/06/2023
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Poverty Gulch (Pittsburg, Augusta, Baxter Basin)
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Wet Loose
Failure Plane: New/Old interface
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1- Relatively harmless to people
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Cascade.
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #5″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]
Estimated avalanche date: 04/06/2023
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Poverty Gulch (Pittsburg, Augusta, Baxter Basin)
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Skier
Trigger modifier: Controlled
Type: Loose
Failure Plane: Within storm snow
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Cascade.
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