BC Zone Observation Report
Thursday, December 28, 2017 at 12:00 AM
Vail & Summit County
Details
Date:
2017/12/28
Observer:
Jason Konigsberg
Organization:
Forecaster, CAIC
Location
BC Zone:
Vail & Summit County
Area Description:
French Gulch
Weather
Weather Description:
Winds were howling out of the west yet again. Somehow the wind is still finding snow to move even with bare westerly slopes. The wind loading isn't significant but may be enough to contribute to cornice failure.
Snowpack
Snowpack Description:
The snowpack structure has not changed over the last few days. The structure is poor and will remain poor for some time. Collapsing and cracking has decreased significantly and ECTs are producing mostly moderate results instead of easy results. I did have a few small collapses but not the thundering collapsed that were reported immediately following the storm.
Avalanches
Avalanche Description:
The east-facing slope of Bald Mountain showed evidence of a few large natural avalanches. One of the larger avalanches looked fairly recent.
Date
Location/Path
#
Elev
Asp
Type
Trig
SizeR
SizeD
2017/12/28
†
10-mile Range
1
TL
SE
N
R2
D2
Date:
2017/12/28 (Estimated)
Observer:
Jason Konigsberg
Organization:
Forecaster, CAIC
Area Description:
Peak 2
Landmark:
10-mile Range
Sliding Surface:
O - Within Old Snow
2017/12/28
†
Other
2
>TL
E
HS
N
R3
D2
Date:
2017/12/28 (Estimated)
Observer:
Jason Konigsberg
Organization:
Forecaster, CAIC
Area Description:
Bald Mountain
Landmark:
Other
Sliding Surface:
O - Within Old Snow
Media
Video
Although obvious signs of instability are subsiding, avalanche conditions remain dangerous in the Vail and Summit County zone. Easterly wind-loaded slopes are at the top of the list for our most dangerous slopes.
Images