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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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 5 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

A major winter storm arrives midday with light snowfall and strong winds through sunset.  On the north half of the compass, it is possible for you to trigger a large avalanche that breaks on weak layers near the ground.  Additionally, strong winds and light snowfall today may create fresh slabs at upper elevations on wind-drifted features that face the east half of the compass.  Safer options can be found on southerly aspects and sheltered terrain.  Intense snowfall is expected sometime this evening, anticipate the avalanche danger to rapidly increase after dark.  

Lawinenprobleme

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–2

    Persistent slabs up to several feet thick are becoming more stubborn to human triggers and they may not alert you to their presence with obvious signs of instability. The problem is on the north half of the compass, where the foundation to our snowpack is weak and faceted. In steep terrain, the distribution of these slabs is variable because of a widespread cycle earlier this month.  Be cautious of steep terrain where you find strong over weak structure, especially in terrain with recent wind loading.  Remember, persistent avalanches can also be remotely triggered from flat terrain below a steep slope, and avalanches might propagate much wider than you expect. Choosing lower slope angles or southerly facing slopes is the easiest and most reliable way to avoid this problem.

    This widely propagating persistent slab ran naturally on December 10th on Mt. Axtell. 

Avalanche Discussion

For today, your primary concern will be triggering an avalanche on northerly-facing slopes.  Old, weak snow near the ground formed a slab nearly two weeks ago.  As time passed since the loading event the chances of you triggering an avalanche slowly decreased due to previous avalanche activity, slabs faceting away, and weak layers adjusting to the slab above.  However, there are still some slopes on the north half of the compass where you can trigger a slab avalanche.  Take the time to identify cohesive slabs resting above weak snow near the ground.  Light snowfall today coupled with strong southwest winds will drift snow on upper elevation slopes that face the northeast, east, and southeast.  Expect to find small fresh slabs on these aspects by this afternoon.  It may be possible to trigger a small avalanche in the freshly drifted snow and potentially on deeper weak layers near the ground.  

Very Dangerous Avalanche Conditions Developing:  Light snowfall during daylight hours on Thursday will quickly give way to intense snowfall rates Thursday evening through Friday night.  Expect the avalanche danger to rise to CONSIDERABLE (3of5) Thursday evening and quickly move to HIGH (4of5) by Friday morning.  If the current weather forecast verifies natural avalanche activity will become likely, avalanches will reach very large in size, and avalanches may impact valley floors.  Common over snow winter travel routes, including but not limited to, Kebler Pass Road, Slate River Road, Peanut Lake Road,  the nordic trails out the Slate River, the Ditch Trail out Brush Creek, Walrod Gulch out Cement Creek, and small, steep hillsides surrounding Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte are expected to become dangerous to skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, dog walkers, nordic skiers, and children sledding by Friday.  Dangerous avalanche conditions will persist through the weekend.  Please consider sharing this message with folks visiting for the holiday season who may be unaware and unfamiliar with avalanche hazards.

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