CAIC

CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center

BC Zone Observation Report

Monday, May 23, 2016 at 12:00 AM
Front Range

Details

Date: 2016/05/23

Observer: Derek Ruth
Organization: Public

Location

BC Zone: Front Range
Area Description: Berthoud Pass

Weather

Weather Description: Clear skies early, gave way to building cumulus. Southerly light breeze.

Snowpack

Snowpack Description: Solid freeze overnight. Great corn at 10am on easterly aspect, at around 12,000ft.

Avalanches

Avalanche Description: Lots of wet loose activity on easterly aspects near rock outcrops. Cornice triggered slab (wet?) in Current Creek. 12,000ft, east aspect, R1, D1 Multiple cornice failures on Mines Peak. 12,490ft, east aspect, R1, D2

Date

Location/Path

#

Elev

Asp

Type

Trig

SizeR

SizeD

View

2016/05/23 ^†

Berthoud Pass west side

1

>TL

E

WS

N

R1

D1

View

2016/05/23 ^†

Berthoud Pass east side

1

>TL

C

N

R1

D2

Media

Images

<b>Figure 1:</b> Current Creek, cornice triggered, can see the crown between the rock outcroppings. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/31z6s5li7jpjc9pkm4snkxq3lcjv?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=8fb3ad245a06bacbf4ffae29bb814d9e','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 2:</b> Mines, runout and debris. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/0uzjeelp9qczy1geub85v8jidl07?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=cbbea5d1a3d49992b2179cc1dc83ae71','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 3:</b> Close up of debris. Refrigerator to small car chunks. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/v2nx1gn0e1nx7n1dth56jeitk1sj?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=fe3bf2acf3c1185169fe772b6ce74700','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 4:</b> The calving cornice. Left side of pic you can see a larger section staring to pull away. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/k95nnicf0nfbue0q2d4jdb1b1rsq?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=ff5940bd8c0e05b656965939db4538ca','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 5:</b> Hello down there??? Close up of crack. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/t49fm3k3nr2nx2mpxbks903gorz5?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=069735f55da8e9eae83658e32c9976c7','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)