Lawinenlagebericht

Northwest Mountains

Crested Butte Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Fri
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Kernpunkte

Deeply failing persistent slabs remain a low probability but high consequence avalanche problem. While shallow storm slabs may become possible to human trigger as the new snow adds up today. If you can identify the specific terrain for these avalanche problems and evaluate the snow carefully, then this is a great day to get out and ride some powder. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Storm Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1

    As new snow adds up today, shallow soft slabs may become possible to human trigger. This new snow is accumulating on a variety of old snow surfaces. In some places it will stick like velcro, in others, it will fall on slick crusts or weak near-surface facets. The wind direction is variable today, where wind loading happens these slabs will be slightly thicker and more reactive. Keep an eye out for changing conditions throughout the day. Small hand pits may help keep track of the depth of the new snow while you further see if you can pull cohesive columns off the old snow interface. Small test slopes and/or well-planned slope cuts will further help identify the presence or absence of this avalanche problem. 

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    2–3

    Hard slab avalanches breaking 2 to 6 feet deep on old weak snow are creating a low probability but high consequence situation. A triggered avalanche on a high elevation, leeward slope, could be deep and unsurvivable. While in wind-sheltered or windward terrain, the slabs are still sizable and would be large enough to bury you. If you choose to ride in avalanche terrain you may be able to reduce your chance of human triggering by seeking out planar or concave slopes with deep, uniform snow coverage, free of shallow spots, rock bands, and variability from winds. Regroup in safe zones that are clear of unusually wide and long-running avalanches.  

    Most of the avalanches this month have released on weak layers near the ground. The slabs are thick and can propagate surprisingly wide distances across terrain features that might normally feel safe.

Avalanche Discussion

I definitely burned the bottom of my big nose yesterday. Holy hot! The snowpack is now cooling off and further decreasing the sensitivity of the persistent slab avalanche problem. Some sunny slopes were now trimmed from that problem rose as they fall into the unlikely category. Today's storm is not expected to add enough load to change the sensitivity of the persistent slab avalanche problem, though it is still another load and another test. This avalanche problem will probably see more changes and adjustments as we head into the weekend.

As avalanche forecasters in a continental snowpack, we spend a lot of time warning of dangerous or very dangerous avalanche conditions. Often it seems like the same message every day. Today, however, we have new snow accumulating and no expected change in the overall avalanche danger. There are not many days that we get to say head on out there and enjoy the new snow. The caveat is that you need the skills to manage the avalanche problems like the brief summary in the bottom line. 

Tomorrow could be wet and wild on sunny slopes. Today's new snow will get blasted by the sun tomorrow and we expect to see a more widespread loose wet avalanche cycle. Just how widespread and the size of those avalanches all depends on how much snow we see accumulate from today's storm. If your planning to ride on sunny slopes tomorrow, you best plan to do that early while the snow is still cold. Otherwise think about heading to shaded slopes.

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