Lawinenlagebericht

Gunnison

Crested Butte Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Sun
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist last year abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

The new snow that accumulated last night will become sticky today as temperatures climb back above freezing. There are lingering threats for triggering a wet slab or an older persistent slab avalanche. Wet slab avalanche activity will be the most suspect in areas where you find a wet snowpack that is struggling to support your weight. The threat of triggering an older persistent slab avalanche exists on higher northerly aspects, primarily where the snowpack is variable in depth across terrain features. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wet Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1.5–2.5

    Over the past few days, a handful of large wet slabs failed as buried weak layers became saturated by meltwater. A colder temperature trend is decreasing the water draining into the snowpack, which will decrease the threat of continued wet slab avalanche activity. However, this avalanche problem will linger until more of the free water in the snowpack has a chance to refreeze. Steep slopes below rocky terrain tend to be the most problematic.  Most northerly aspects have not received enough meltwater to be a problem, though terrain transitioning from E to NE and W to NW is a concern.  You can reduce your risk by traveling early while the upper snowpack is frozen and avoiding areas where you find yourself sinking deeply into a wet and unsupportive snowpack. 

    A large, messy wet slab that ran Thursday on Gibson Ridge.  

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    2–2.5

    In the past two weeks, numerous large to very large slab avalanches broke on weak layers in the upper snowpack and near the ground.  Feedback on the problem is variable and infrequent. These issues are most concerning where the snowpack is variable in depth, with trigger points where your weight could affect old weak layers deep in the snowpack. Persistent slab instabilities are more isolated below treeline; stay alert on very steep or unusually shallow slopes. The south half of the compass lacks the problem.

    A large persistent slab on Gothic triggered by a shallower wet avalanche on 3/25.

Avalanche Discussion

Last week was busy, with many wet and dry avalanches occurring. You can read a detailed weekly summary here, or watch a shortened video here.

Heading into the weekend, the colder temperature trend is trying to put wet avalanche concerns to bed. The upper snowpack will be frozen this morning thanks to low temperatures dropping below freezing last night. However, it will take longer for the free water that has accumulated in the snowpack over the last several days, to refreeze. 

The new snow that accumulated last night was less than expected and will not change big-picture avalanche concerns today. If some areas received a few inches of new snow, there could be just enough for small, wet loose avalanches as that snow becomes wet due to temperatures climbing back above freezing or the sun warming the snow surface. 

After last week's warm temperatures, persistent weak layers in the upper snowpack have become less of a concern. Those small facets have had more time to gain strength, or in some cases, meltwater has drained into those facets. Lingering persistent slab avalanche concerns are now focused on areas that have large facets deeper in the snowpack that formed during drought periods earlier this winter. Those deeper weak layers may take a big trigger, such as a cornice falling onto the snowpack or just the right trigger point where the weight of a human can more easily affect those weak layers. 

Abgedeckte Regionen