Crested Butte Avalanche Report 2.10.08
A very active last few days in the backcountry! A few days ago we had an avalanche cycle and saw widespread natural releases. Over the past two days we got reports of three large triggered avalanches. All of these slides were triggered remotely, were very wide, and ran long distances. Two of these slides were triggered by skiers and one triggered by explosives just outside the ski area boundary. We also received a report of three natural avalanches between Pitkin and Ohio City with one of them leaving 8' of debris on a campground road in Gold Creek. All of this avalanche activity reminds us that there is still widespread instabilities in the snowpack and backcountry users need to exercise caution while traveling in or around avalanche terrain. Yesterday warm temperatures and strong solar radiation affected the snowpack. On southerly aspects the surface became moist with pin wheels and rollers off of ski cuts. Yesterdays warm temperatures settled the snowpack and hopefully have helped stabilize the upper snowpack. We can expect widespread crusts on all southerly aspects this morning. Overall we still have a complex situation in the backcountry. Areas down valley such as Cement Creek, Round Mountain, Almont, Pitkin, etc. have potentially reached a critical mass. These areas in which we usually do not see avalanches have seen recent avalanche activity. These areas have a shallow snow pack and have a very weak base layer of facets or sugar snow with a slab on top. These conditions could also be present in areas that have slid earlier this season. Be aware of avalanches in unusual areas and remember if the slope is 30 degrees or steeper it can avalanche.
I live twenty feet off cement creek. i ride up the road on a very regular basis. the other day two skiers and a dog where caught in an avalanche that was less then a mile from my house. thankfully both skiers were able to self rescue but the dog was not as lucky.
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