Date of Observation: 03/13/2023
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: West Brush Creek. Traveled mostly on east and northeast aspects to 11,600′
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Observed a large storm slab (D2.5) run this afternoon off the south face of Teo. The slab initiated as a relatively small pocket on a southeast aspect and then triggered a much broader, thicker crown on a cross-loaded terrain feature facing south that subsequently ran to valley floor.
Several very small dry loose and wet loose avalanches ran throughout the day.
West Brush Creek drainage saw a fairly widespread storm slab cycle, D1-D2, likely Friday night-Saturday morning. Pics show the largest slides, though there were plenty more. In three of the S/SW gullies of Teo, storm slabs stepped down and triggered more destructive persistent slabs, D2.5-D3. The crowns were mostly filled in but I measured debris blocks as thick as 4 feet, pencil hard.
Weather: Few to scattered skies through mid-afternoon. Mild temps. Calm winds.
Snowpack: I didn’t measure storm snow totals, but they seemed on par with other areas, in the 2-foot range. Snow surfaces became moist to wet on everything without a northerly tilt, producing a few rollerballs and minor sluffs. We skied on several steep, shady slopes with no signs of instability. However, we did get a creek bed to calve off about 3-feet deep on a facet layer at valley bottom.
Photos:
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #1″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]Estimated avalanche date: 03/13/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: West Brush Creek
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: S
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R3 medium
Destructive Size: D2.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Teocalli Mtn. Ran at approximately 2 p.m. from solar warming. Started as a small pocket on SE aspect and subsequently triggered a larger slab on S aspect.
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Estimated avalanche date: 03/11/2023
Number of Avalanches: 3
Location
Location: West Brush Creek
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: S
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Hard Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R3 medium
Destructive Size: D2.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: S/SW gullies of Teo, Likely step downs triggered by storm slabs, potentially starting from ATL.
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Estimated avalanche date: 03/11/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: West Brush Creek
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: S
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Hard Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R3 medium
Destructive Size: D3 – could destroy a car, wood-frame house, or snap trees
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: S/SW gully of Teo, Likely step downs triggered by storm slabs, potentially starting from ATL.
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Estimated avalanche date: 03/11/2023
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: West Brush Creek
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R2 small
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: Union Chutes
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Estimated avalanche date: 03/11/2023
Number of Avalanches: 3
Location
Location: West Brush Creek
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R2 small
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: Coyote Chutes
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