BC Zone Observation Report
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at 12:00 AM
Vail & Summit County
Details
Date:
2017/02/21
Observer:
Chase Courington
Organization:
Public
Location
BC Zone:
Vail & Summit County
Area Description:
Coon Hill, east face off the summit, I was observing from in-bounds at Loveland Basin while waiting on the Ridge Cat.
Weather
Weather Description:
Mostly Sunny, windy, gusts 30-40
Snowpack
Snowpack Description:
~25cm Storm slab on top of sun crust, some leeward areas were pretty thick wind slab
Avalanches
Avalanche Description:
I was in-bounds at Loveland Basin waiting for the Ridge Cat and looking across the gulch at Coon Hill watching 3, possibly 4, skiers descend the East Face off the Coon Hill summit. Second skier triggered a large slide, from my vantage, as they turned toward the rock exposure. The skier was able to stop at the point of release and then descend down the slide path after it ran. Slide looked to originate at the rocks and propagate across the wind loaded face to run length of the face, it didn't appear to step down although I was across the gulch below the ridge of Golden Bear (waiting on the Loveland Ridge Cat). Ski patrol in-bounds at Loveland triggered many slides during mitigation work.
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