Details

• Date: 2012/12/17

• Observer: Scott Edlin

Location

• BC Zone: Front Range
• Area Description: Current Creek
• Route Description: apron below Y Chute, N side of Hidden Knoll

Weather

• Weather Description: overcast, moderate snow, blowing snow, 10-20mph westerly wind est, gusting to 30mph est, 15F est, 0F wind chill est

Snowpack

• Snowpack Description: 20cm-40cm HST, extremely variable coverage, poor base, small fresh soft storm slabs, lots of exposed rock in the aprons, extensive wind transport, frequent collapsing, frequent Q1 shooting cracks (irregular, spiderweb-like networks), frequent Q1 "D" shaped half-moon cracks around skis. large (3mm+) columnar basal facets, some 6mm+ long, poorly bonded into larger columns, lots of air space that collapsed easily. did not attempt a formal profile. quick ski-pole column failed on isolation in basal facets layer.

Snowpack Obsvervation Cracking: Shooting Collapsing: Rumbling

Avalanches

	Date	Location/Path	#	Elev	Asp	Type	Trig	SizeR	SizeD
	2012/12/17	Berthoud Pass	1	TL	NE	SS	AS / r	R2	D2
Date: 2012/12/17 Time: 12:45 PM Observer: Scott Edlin Area Description: apron below Y Chute Landmark: Berthoud Pass Average Slope Angle: 25 ° Maximum Slope Angle: 35 ° Elevation: 11500 ft Sliding Surface: O - Within Old Snow Weak Layer: Layer Weak Layer Grain Type: Depth Hoar Average Crown: 6 in Maximum Crown: 12 in Average Width: 30 ft Maximum Width: 50 ft Average Vertical: 100 ft Maximum Vertical: 100 ft Comments: remotely triggered from below with collapse and shooting cracks from edge of large trees at distance of 250' lateral and 100' vertical. slid slowly with low energy but ran surprisingly far on low-angle apron terrain. toe stopped around 50' from trees and fresh skin track.

Media

Video

• pan of full track showing relation to Y Chute and large trees below the apron
  

Images