Bollettino valanghe

Northwest Mountains

Crested Butte Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Sun
Alta quota
1 · Debole
Limite del bosco
1 · Debole
Sotto il limite
2 · Moderato
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Non aggiornato — questo bollettino è scaduto 3 years ago. Stai vedendo condizioni passate, non il bollettino in corso.

In sintesi

You can trigger Dry Loose avalanches in steep, sheltered terrain on the north half of the compass.  If you observe a soft, weak snow surface then expect to release a sluff.  Although generally small in size, sluffs could drag you through rocks and trees.  Use sluff management techniques to reduce the chance of being caught in your sluff or stick to slopes less than about 35 degrees where sluffs are unlikely to initiate.

Problemi valanghivi

  • Loose Dry

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Likely
    Dimensione
    1–1.5

    In wind-sheltered terrain on the north half of the compass, you can trigger loose snow avalanches on steep slopes where the upper snowpack is weak and cohesionless.  Most sluffs are harmless, but a few could gouge through the weak snowpack and entrain more snow than expected.  Use caution above terrain traps such as long-running gullies or above trees and cliffs.  You can manage the problem by riding off the fall line or pulling out of the way to let your sluffs go past you.  You can avoid the problem by riding on lower slope angles less than about 35 degrees.  

    1/3:  A skier triggered sluff on Schuylkill Ridge that gouged through the snowpack.  

Avalanche Discussion

The avalanche danger rating rose to MODERATE for the below treeline elevation band on Saturday.  The faceting process slowly weakened the snowpack over the past few weeks, and now it seems likely for you to trigger a Dry Loose avalanche on slopes steeper than 35 degrees.  The problem is most acute below treeline in sheltered areas and on slopes with a very shallow snowpack, often due to previous avalanche activity.  These observations from Schuylkill Ridge illustrate the problem well for terrain with a very shallow and weak snowpack (1,2,3).  Terrain with a snowpack that remains supportive to skis or board will produce smaller loose avalanches and make it easier for you to manage your sluff (example from Happy Chutes).   Some slopes near treeline have a similarly weak snowpack, but it is less commonly found due to previous wind events stiffening the snow surface.  Up to 3 inches of new snow accumulated on Friday night in the Northwest Mountains, this isn't enough snow to dramatically change conditions, but it will add a small amount of mass to loose snow avalanches.

A stronger storm arrives on Saturday night and lasts through Monday morning.  Models suggest a foot of new snow is possible for favored areas around Crested Butte.  Slab avalanche problems may develop in the coming days from snowfall and wind.  Be sure to stay current by reading the forecast each morning.   

 

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