Bulletin d’avalanche

Southeast Mountains

Crested Butte Avalanche Center
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Danger d’avalanche

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

Points saillants

The primary avalanche problem remains Mr Persistent Slab. Yes, no one likes this avalanche problem but we are all stuck with it. Two techniques that you can use to reduce your exposure to this avalanche problem are choosing lower-angled slopes and riding smaller terrain features with lower potential consequences. Southerly-facing slopes have the lowest likelihood for triggering an avalanche and if enough new snow accumulates on those old crusts, the snow quality could be good. 

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Likely
    Taille
    1.5–2

    Slabs 1 to 3 feet thick exist above persistent weak layers buried at the bottom of the snowpack. Recently this avalanche problem has become less sensitive to human triggering. The accumulating new snow will add load and potentially make this avalanche problem more reactive again. The most concerning aspects are northerly and easterly-facing slopes. The potential for triggered avalanches exists in other aspects but will be less commonly encountered.  Avalanches have the potential to break wider than you expect, and they can be triggered from flat slopes connected to steeper terrain. Consider the consequences of a large avalanche in the terrain you want to ride; smaller terrain features can lower the consequence if you do trigger an avalanche. While lower slope angles, without overhead hazards, can lower the chance of triggering an avalanche. 

Avalanche Discussion

Pre-5 AM snow totals were in the 1 to 3-inch range across the forecast area. A heavy band of snowfall was moving through the area at that time, and at 5:30am one weather station was showing 7 inches of new snow at 11,000ft in the Upper Slate. Total snowfall expectations are still in the 5 to 12-inch range across the forecast area by tonight, with the higher end of that range favoring the NW Mountain forecast area. 

The main change in the forecast products this morning was the addition of a small storm slab problem in the NW Mountain FX area. The new snow is accumulating on a layer of surface hoar that formed during our recent dry spell. The surface hoar would be best preserved on the northern half of the compass where it wasn't previously melted by the sun. This weak layer also needs a clear view of the sky to form and will not be located in the forest. Whether this avalanche problem develops or not, it will be worth keeping an eye out for if you are riding steep terrain in the highlighted area.  A potential storm slab avalanche problem will be far more isolated in the SE Mountain forecast area given the lower forecasted snow amounts. 

The new snow will also add some load to the persistent slab avalanche problem. This storm will likely not make a huge difference in how reactive this avalanche problem currently is, until we add in some additional wind loading. Or, this avalanche problem could also become more reactive in wind-protected areas that see over .7 inches of SWE. We will continue to watch how this storm plays out and if there are any notable changes. Otherwise, we can expect the avalanche danger to continue being driven by the persistent slab avalanche problem.

News & Events: 

  •  We are hosting our annual Christmas Tree Sale starting today at 3 pm and into the weekend until all the trees are sold. Look for us near Ace Hardware.
  • Our next trailhead day is this Sunday at Kebler Pass TH. 
  • We’re excited to release an Avalanche Terrain Map of our forecast area! Check it out here.

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