Lawinenlagebericht

Northwest Mountains

Crested Butte Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Wed
Hochgebirge
1 · Gering
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Kernpunkte

Avalanche conditions are generally safe in the Northwest Zone.  The snow surface is weak, but denser snow is typically found below.  Loose avalanche concerns on shaded terrain near and below treeline are expected to remain small and involve only the surface snow.  If you find weak, cohesionless surface snow you should expect to trigger small "facet sluffs" and guard against being dragged into rocks and stumps.  Triggered loose avalanches require very steep terrain greater than about 38 degrees. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Dry

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

    On very steep terrain sheltered from the sun and wind, you can easily trigger sluffs where the snow surface is loose and cohesionless. This skier triggered slide on Schuylkill Ridge these slides triggered on Sunday demonstrate the problem.  In the Northwest Mountains, loose dry avalanches have been smaller and easier to manage, entraining just the top 4" to 8" of cohesionless snow in the upper snowpack.  They can still present a hazard if you get pushed into trees or rocks, so be mindful of terrain consequences in terrain steeper than about 37 degrees.  

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche conditions continue to change, but the pace of change has slowed over the past week as temperatures have moderated outside the inversion zone.  Snow surfaces remain weak across the Southeast Zone and Northwest Zone.  The exception to this rule would be terrain features that have been hit by the wind and developed windboards of varying hardness or southerly exposures.  Observations from the past week have shown terrain closer to town, like Happy Chutes and Climax Chutes, offer the potential for triggered, loose avalanches to gouge through the snowpack and entrain most of the available snow.  Avalanches that entrain the entire snowpack are the most concerning and can potentially drag you into ground hazards and cause harm.  This is why the Southeast Zone is rated at MODERATE.  You can identify the most concerning terrain by it the lack of support to foot, skis, or board.  As you travel further from town into the Northwest Zone, loose avalanche concerns are confined to the upper snowpack and are smaller in size.  Observations from Schuylkill Ridge, above Pittsburg, Purple Palace, and Axtel all indicate a less concerning and smaller problem, but one you should expect and manage if you find soft, cohesionless snow at the surface on shaded aspects.     Alpine terrain is the least likely to present a loose avalanche problem.  The snowpack is denser and winds have formed a patchwork of crusts at the surface.  The higher you travel the fewer avalanche concerns you are likely to find.  Unsettled weather is on the horizon for the upcoming weekend; many, if not most, snow surfaces will be intolerant of additional loading.  Now is a great time to travel through alpine terrain because once slabs form on top of the current snow surface, safer terrain options will be greatly reduced.   

 

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