Bulletin d’avalanche

Southeast Mountains

Crested Butte Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

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

Points saillants

Less recent snowfall creates a bit less avalanche hazard in the Southeast Mountains due to a generally smaller potential avalanche size.   You can trigger avalanches near and above treeline on slopes facing northwest through north through east and some will be large enough to bury you.  Stepping into steep terrain, on the north half of the compass, near and above the treeline is a dangerous 'roll of the dice'.  Safer terrain options exist below treeline and on southerly-facing slopes.

 

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    You will find a fragile base to the snowpack on northerly and easterly aspects from the early seasonal snowfall that accumulated back in October. Over the past week, up to 1.5 feet of snow has fallen on top of these Persistent Weak Layers. This past weekend, the neighboring NW Mountain Forecast Area had a notable natural avalanche cycle and several close calls with human-triggered avalanches. We observed fewer natural avalanches in the SE Mountain Forecast Area, however, we lack data given the shallow snow depths and difficult conditions for winter travel. The most suspect areas for this avalanche problem will be on previously wind-loaded northerly and easterly facing slopes and where the total snowpack is near or above 2.5ft on the same aspects. Obvious warning signs could include shooting cracks, a collapsing snowpack, or past avalanche activity.  Don't count on signs of instability to warn you of potential danger for terrain highlighted on the distribution rose above. 

    This persistent slab avalanche was remotely triggered from below in the NW Mountain Forecast Area. 11/26

Avalanche Discussion

The current avalanche conditions on the north half of the compass are quite tricky right now.  As time increases from the loading event this past weekend, signs of instability like cracking and collapsing decrease.  Do not be fooled by the decrease in signs of instability; slabs and weak layers near and above treeline have changed very little since the weekend.  The decrease in signs of instability underfoot may try to lure you into suspect terrain.  If you don't experience signs of instability underfoot, simply use your eyes to see the recent avalanche activity; it's hard to miss at upper elevations.  The pattern of avalanche activity is obvious in the avalanche database.  Take a look at this link with visual tools diagraming the recent avalanche cycle.  Slopes facing northwest through north through east produced the majority of avalanches.  Expect the potential for human-triggered avalanches to linger for days into the future, the problem will not go away quickly at upper elevations.

Take a patient mindset into the mountains and select conservative slope angles on slopes facing the north half of the compass above 10,500 feet.  If you're looking for steeper terrain options, southerly-facing slopes generally offer safer options.  The snowpack is shallower at lower elevations and on sunny slopes which presents an increased risk of hitting buried objects while you travel.  Take it easy as our mountains build up a deeper snowpack.  

Régions couvertes