CAIC

Avalanche Details

Location: Loveland Pass-Northside
State: Colorado
Date: 2022/03/16 (Estimated)
Summary Description: --
Primary Activity: --
Primary Travel Mode: --

Number

Caught: 0
Fully Buried: 0
Injured: 0
Killed: 0

Avalanche

Type: SS
Trigger: Unknown
Trigger (subcode): --
Size - Relative to Path: R2
Size - Destructive Force: D2
Sliding Surface: O - Within Old Snow

Site

Slope Aspect: E
Site Elevation: 12400 ft
Slope Angle: --
Slope Characteristic: --

Weather Summary

Around 10 am the sky was partly cloudy with moderate winds out of the west and temperatures were below freezing. Clouds increased around noon and the area become completely overcast by 1pm. A couple of snow flakes started to fall around 1pm and by 1:45pm the car had about half an inch when we got back.

Media

Images

<b>Figure 1:</b> A large avalanche on an east-facing slopes above treeline on Loveland Pass with memebers of Alpine Search and Resuce on the debris. Front Range Zone, March 16, 2022 (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/dncxx8jr4o3u8zjpotkfmku39vwj?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=4906e0ab767061ca15fe9acecf0951ff','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 2:</b> The crown at the possible trigger point of the avalanche. The crown is 35cm and the total snow height is 75cm deep. Loveland Pass, Front Range Zone. March 16, 2022 (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/b0l5y2bww8bv78wic97roa1rn1ss?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=1d5a5c2244a9eed211b292e1218ff59d','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 3:</b> Looking up towards lookers right you can see the deeper portion of the crown and where the avalanche stepped down into the older, weaker snow. Loveland Pass. Front Range Zone March 16, 2022 (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/0ycfel0p9uoeyqxxbm32r0ugahwx?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=87f70355b0834b816de735a0d9969115','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 4:</b> Photo from the top of Loveland Pass looking towards the large avalanche. Front Range Zone, March 16, 2022 (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/ys71e2xyzg0faer7qlvli5j833mx?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=ca6324ebde7a99e9add873e31a17f4a0','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 5:</b> This is the depth hoar layer that the intial avalanche stepped down into. Loveland Pass, Front Range Zone. March 16, 2022 (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/vjtlvyibzld3szpz93qco9ixzi2m?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=59f02b2669326a81a2a5fe2d30bd43ad','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

Snowpits

Figure 6: A crown profile of the large avalanche on Loveland Pass on March 16, 2022. Front Range Zone.

2022/03/16 - Colorado - Loveland Pass-Northside