Bulletin d’avalanche

Southeast Mountains

Crested Butte Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

Tue
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
1 · Faible
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Périmé — ce bulletin a expiré 4 years ago. Vous consultez des conditions passées, pas le bulletin en cours.

Points saillants

You can trigger an avalanche that breaks deeply and grows large on some slopes at upper elevations that were heavily drifted during last week's northerly wind event.  Safer options exist in wind-sheltered terrain.  If you choose to travel on steep slopes, consider the terrain's consequence, expose only one person at a time, and avoid recently drifted features.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1.5–2.5

    Persistent weak layers in the middle and at the bottom of the snowpack have temporarily become more reactive on recently wind-loaded slopes at near and above treeline elevations. These slabs are generally hard, will be stubborn to human triggering, but may produce a larger than expected avalanche if released. This avalanche problem has become less common in wind-sheltered areas, with the last notable avalanche having occurred on 2/1.

    A large persistent slab that was human triggered on Thursday 2/9 in upper Hunter Creek.

Avalanche Discussion

In the Northwest Mountains, the avalanche danger is LOW.  However, a windy period from last week formed wind drifts at upper elevations that produced human-triggered avalanches on Friday.  There could be an isolated drift, from the northerly wind event, where you might be able to trigger an avalanche.  If you venture into drifted slopes or extreme terrain, consider the consequences of taking a ride in a small avalanche.  Small avalanches can be dangerous above cliffs and terrain traps.

The avalanche danger remains MODERATE near and above treeline in the Southeast Mountains due to the risk of triggering a large avalanche on old weak layers deep in the snowpack.  Last week's northerly wind event produced a notable natural avalanche near Hunter Hill that broke near the ground and a snowmobile-triggered avalanche in the same area a day later.  The most concerning terrain is at upper elevations where recent drifting has occurred and on slopes with highly variable snow depths. Signs of instability like collapsing are unlikely until you find a trigger point and release a dangerous avalanche.  Outside of the above-mentioned avalanches, observations have pointed to a quiet snowpack in the Southeast Mountains.  Below treeline slopes have a poor-looking structure in some areas but appear to be unreactive to human triggers due to a lack of recent loading hence the LOW danger rating (poor structure on Cement Mountain, poor structure out West Brush Creek).  Follow safe backcountry protocol by exposing only one person at a time to a hazard in case you get surprised.

A multi-day stormy period begins this afternoon and lasts through Wednesday night.  Expect the avalanche danger to rise over the next few days as the new snow stacks up.

Régions couvertes