CAIC

CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center

BC Zone Observation Report

Tuesday, April 30, 2019 at 12:00 AM
Front Range

Details

Date: 2019/04/30

Observer: Jason Maurer

Location

BC Zone: Front Range
Area Description: Rocky Mountain National Park
Route Description: Chaos Canyon and Tyndall Drainage

Weather

Ridgeline Wind Speed: 20-30 mph
Ridgeline Wind Direction: SW
Wind Loading: Light
Temperature: 39 F
Sky Cover: Overcast
Depth of New Snow: 15 cm
Depth of Total Snow: 250 cm
Most Significant Precip Rate: S2 - 2 cm/hr
Weather Description: Overcast skies with periods of S-1 snow flurries. Warm ambient air temps. Light winds BTL. Periods of sun trying to break out in the AM. Increasing snowfall rate and deteriorating visibility after 2pm.

Snowpack

Snowpack Description: Easy hand shears in the storm snow layering.

Snowpack Obsvervation

Cracking: Minor
Collapsing: None

Avalanches

Avalanche Description: Avalanche was triggered by ski cuts at the top of the couloir.

Date

Location/Path

#

Elev

Asp

Type

Trig

SizeR

SizeD

View

2019/04/30 ^†

Rocky Mountain National Park

1

TL

N

SS

AS / c

R2

D1.5

View

2019/04/30 ^†

Rocky Mountain National Park

2

>TL

SE

WL

N / U

R3

D2

Media

Images

<b>Figure 1:</b> Crown, Otis Redding couloir (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/3a8a22izv09bd9sq8543x5182ic4?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=663f2624aec1bcca9377ca4c845e043b','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 2:</b> Path (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/cbm7ufy0pamtfhk6b6m2h6knj6iq?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=72e89e49f13c4094cbb98951963a782c','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 3:</b> Avalanche outlined in red, Otis Redding 1 (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/3tw2kf1ymsm3v8tumac4qpqxa1as?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=777273a6fcf6a8f578ac913c32a6a5f5','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 4:</b> Extent of Crown in Red (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/j3n5q7js36xhzbf7vbtfkxq915fl?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=4b470d52de905f1a6c280ee1740b5303','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 5:</b> Crown (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/45yg9ji793u9719bkm5vik5rsy0o?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=27e4d7f95a62a79a1cb0c44731df298a','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 6:</b> Large wet debris on the Dragon Tail apron (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/mi1ipmdjq6zdlktc4p6y3p5sv06q?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=759a63a2af587dbcacb6383d009523d1','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 7:</b> Dead Elk Debris (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/xw2a7f8mn33rzyrdrczrocybd5iy?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=59d54a0cd91d38e44a9d43d67226c7be','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 8:</b> Dead Elk and Dragon Tail (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/0owazod0ta12sab3nye7sxe8tzam?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=f31a34c78c3bb56d24c53155a214c424','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)