CAIC

CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center

BC Zone Observation Report

Friday, March 8, 2019 at 12:00 AM
Vail & Summit County

Details

Date: 2019/03/08

Observer: Kreston Rohrig
Organization: Forecaster, CAIC

Location

BC Zone: Vail & Summit County
Area Description: Peak 1

Weather

Weather Description: Grey day with warm temps below treeline. Short periods of light snowfall mid-day, with warm and semi-wet surface snow.

Snowpack

Snowpack Description: Recent snowfall was settling quickly at lower elevations. With warmer temps, the snow from last night was trending to wet, but not fully there.

Avalanches

Avalanche Description: This massive avalanche was reported yesterday morning (3/7). It broke around multiple terrain features and ran about 2400' vertical.

Date

Location/Path

#

Elev

Asp

Type

Trig

SizeR

SizeD

View

2019/03/08 ^†

10-mile Range

1

All

E

HS

N

R4

D4

Media

Images

<b>Figure 1:</b> View of the crown lines and upper path (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/bkohjc3nori0ohrxz7r96grubm1p?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=ba945f5a98d86e38bed21a4f3a22ce57','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 2:</b> The avalanche broke across multiple terrain features (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/pftfcplxbeap47r96jbwn0d1xnlh?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=ffd6726d51eeff4b0596ec3d272632eb','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 3:</b> Part of the forest that this avalanche destroyed (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/2frefr4ucqp8cehl9rtvc38v1hu1?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=f5322128ce45d31ba29cdc19cf476b14','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 4:</b> Broader view of the swath of forest that this avalanche leveled (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/mcghog6qthx29hzett6z3qhxyhe2?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=a7f4654ae4f319e7be2636409e0c58fc','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 5:</b> Piles of downed timber (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/lnrqdjp7v9xrkcjbmtv0vumpo6m0?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=fa35f39e014181569b70eb12d8c9b009','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 6:</b> A surprising few trees survived at the toe of the debris (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/g0rl60gtitbaf5so6lzlmgen84re?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=c374540d07b2d336000589a8f412613e','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 7:</b> Many trees were blown over by the force of this avalanche (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/6tkxgvr1pfh7igs1pnpuouy6zgsc?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=08f5550d2da536e16c57085fe7ce0d8f','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 8:</b> Broad view of Peak 1 and the full extent of the newly formed avalanche path (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/j1f1xzqmt4gga4xborgab3adn3x7?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=e2fd6e10ef50cb0391118e3a90a192aa','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)