Bulletin d’avalanche

Gunnison

Crested Butte Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Wed
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
3 · Marqué
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 5 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

Last night brought another poor refreeze to the snowpack, but increased cloud cover and cooler high temperatures today will help to reduce the threat of wet avalanche activity as compared to the past few days.  Keep a close eye on the snow surface to monitor wetness.  If you find 6 inches or more of wet, mushy snow, or punchy surface conditions you should avoid avalanche terrain.  Use boot penetration to test surface support to identify concerning wet avalanche conditions.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Likely
    Taille
    1–2

    In steep, sunbaked terrain, the threat of natural and triggered wet loose avalanches will increase as the snow becomes wet and slushy on all but the shadiest aspects.  In terrain where the snowpack is weak and saturated, wet loose avalanches are gouging deep into the snowpack and entraining dangerous amounts of wet debris.  Avoid traveling on or below steep terrain where you find more than about 6" of wet, mushy snow.  Be especially careful above trees, cliffs, and gullies where even small sluffs can cause harm.  Obvious signs of wet loose avalanches include rollerballs, pinwheels, or if you start sinking deep into a saturated snowpack. Move to colder aspects or lower-angle terrain before the snow gets hot and mushy. 

    4/4: A large, gouging wet loose avalanche on Double Top.

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    2

    Numerous wet slabs released in recent days caused by meltwater draining into buried weak layers.  Dangerous wet slabs will continue to be a concern until the snowpack refreezes.  Avoid traveling on or below hot, sunbaked slopes, especially later in the day.  The safest time to travel on steep avalanche terrain is early in the morning, and only if the snow surface is frozen solid and supportive under your feet.  You've outstayed your welcome in avalanche terrain if you get off your sled or skis and sink past your ankles into wet snow.  

    4/5: A full-depth Wet Slab on a northeast aspect on Schuylkill Ridge. Believed to have failed midday on 4/5.

Avalanche Discussion

Overnight low temperatures were warm again for the 5th night in a row which will maintain wet avalanche concerns.  Today's weather brings some uncertainty to the equation as the overnight freeze was poor, but high temperatures will be significantly lower than previous days and increased wind speeds will help to keep the snow surface cooler.  Upper elevation slopes received a better refreeze than lower elevation terrain based on weather stations and gusty winds will be more common at ridgetops and summits.  Below treeline terrain was rated at CONSIDERABLE for today due to the very poor refreeze.

The best travel advice for today will be to start early while surface crusts remain intact and exit once they begin to break down.  You may find some low elevation slopes never developed a supportive crust overnight due to warm temperatures and some cloud cover; finding these conditions should turn you away from avalanche terrain.  Yesterday a full-depth Wet Slab was observed on a northeast aspect low on Schuylkill Ridge very near a common up-track and is the first deep failing Wet Slab observed on a shady aspect.  Several other gouging Wet Loose avalanches were observed yesterday as well.  Both Wet Slab and Wet Loose avalanches can be large enough to bury, injure, and kill you.

The poor overnight freeze and today's cloud cover will make it tricky to time your descents or travel with enjoyable yet safe riding conditions.  Monitor surface wetness and be willing to change plans and terrain selection if conditions are wetter or less supportive than you anticipated particularly at low elevations.

Régions couvertes