Operation Observation Report
Friday, February 23, 2018 at 12:00 AM
CB Avalanche Center
Details
Date:
2018/02/23
Observer:
Ian HAVLICK
Organization:
CBAC
Location
Operation:
CB Avalanche Center
Area Description:
West facing slopes above Pittsburg, Gothic Mountain Tour course. BTL, NTL. SW, W facing terrain
Weather
Weather Description:
Mostly cloudy, light to moderate SE-S-SW winds. Temps in the 15-20ºF. minimal new snow accumulation during day, but ~3-4" overnight
Snowpack
Snowpack Description:
HS 60-120cm. in west facing BTL and NTL terrain, developing 1F mid pack, with still concerning structure and basal facets. Eroding melt freeze crusts 60cm deep (1/2 way down pack). ECTX on BTL, 34º slope (on race course). Would not want to push slope angle steeper because structure is still spooky. Also found suspicious interface and possible surface hoar 30cm from surface. Unreactive in formal tests but bears watching...
Avalanches
Avalanche Description:
Break in orographic cloudiness and flurries revealed MASSIVE avalanche in Redwell (north side of Mount Emmons). Looked to have failed within past 12hrs. Makes sense with efficient SW wind loading. Failed nearly wall to wall. R4, D3. observed from distance but look forward to investigating. Also looked to have pulled a sympathetic pocket lookers left, closer to Right and Wrong chute, opposite to Wolverine basin (NW facing)
Date
Location/Path
#
Elev
Asp
Type
Trig
SizeR
SizeD
2018/02/23
†
Redwell/Mt Emmons
1
>TL
N
HS
N
R4
D3
Date:
2018/02/23 (Estimated)
Observer:
Ian HAVLICK
Organization:
CBAC
Media
Images
Figure 1: hard to make out but look closely and crown on large sympathetic pocket visible. sun shows the one strip of bowl that has not ripped.