CAIC

CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center

BC Zone Observation Report

Thursday, November 24, 2016 at 12:00 AM
Front Range

Details

Date: 2016/11/24

Observer: Jarrod Crews
Organization: Public

Location

BC Zone: Front Range
Area Description: Butler Gutch

Weather

Weather Description: Overcast with a slow steady wind from the west

Snowpack

Snowpack Description: 6-10in of new snow in most places, sitting atop the early snow in Nov. Old snow was faceted and patchy at best right at tree line. Found 3-5 inches of old faceted sugar under all of the new snow. Little to no old snow 11,000ft

Avalanches

Avalanche Description: A partner and I were on a skin track following the summer trail when we approached treeline and remote triggered a pocket release above the skin track approx 40ft uphill. Slid on old faceted/new snow interface. Crown was 8-11in in most spots, slide was approx 35x15ft large and on a rather steep roll over. After the slab settled and moved i tried to get and angle on the slope and it was anywhere between 35-48 degrees

Date

Location/Path

#

Elev

Asp

Type

Trig

SizeR

SizeD

View

2016/11/23 ^†

Butler Gulch

1

TL

N

SS

AS / r

R1

D1

Media

Images

<b>Figure 1:</b> looking up from standing on skin track as your are about to break tree line. @ approx 11,500 (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/uajdgumhhr67vtsipwak7ygzi7p9?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=6f864c43206e43e2f19e32dfd754112d','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 2:</b> faceted old snow (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/7bhaudkhyur4f6h9dlsba95fpwyj?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=daf609f57acea4fecf44da259846dc8c','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 3:</b> crown (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/cxy5cfg7no63qhpwovpkrioojt3p?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=2dffd813177073a53a10af1db1a186ff','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 4:</b> Old snow depth (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/c7fq16m4xwb0e3ies5lqlbg30k5f?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=ac445b2bd76080c799d0c5e934d367fa','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)