Details

• Date: 2019/12/31

• Observer: Ryan Lewthwaite
• Organization: Forecaster, CAIC

Location

• BC Zone: Front Range
• Area Description: South Diamond Peak, Cameron Pass.

Weather

• Ridgeline Wind Speed: 10-20 mph
• Ridgeline Wind Direction: NW
• Wind Loading: Moderate
• Temperature: 13 F
• Sky Cover: Few
• Depth of Total Snow: 149 cm
• Weather Description: Clear and cold morning with valley temperatures near -30F in North Park. The winds were moderate near ridgelines, from the northwest, and banners of snow were evidence of snow transport.

Snowpack

• Snowpack Description: On Cameron Pass the snowfall from Christmas has been redistributed by the winds into stiff slabs on north through east aspects. The near and above treeline slopes over 35 degrees on these aspects are most worrisome. Evidence of recent human triggered wind slab avalanches was seen as you broke treeline from the skin track. An older pencil hard melt-freeze crust, at 121cm, is surrounded by weaker snow and acting as a catalyst for avalanches. Less than a meter deep in the snowpack are the facet and depth hoar layers from the pre-Thanksgiving storms, which are stubborn to triggering. ECTX PST 64/100 @119 Arr CT17@121

Avalanches

• Avalanche Description: Surface wind slab avalanches were observed on north through east aspects, in near and above treeline terrain. Two cornice fall avalanches near ridgelines on north diamond peak were seen.

	Date	Location/Path	#	Elev	Asp	Type	Trig	SizeR	SizeD
	2019/12/31  †	Cameron Pass	1	TL	NE	SS	AS	R1	D1
Date: 2019/12/31 (Estimated) Observer: Ryan Lewthwaite Organization: Forecaster, CAIC Area Description: The Gash off the Eastside of south diamond peak and adjacent trees. Landmark: Cameron Pass Average Slope Angle: 45 ° Maximum Slope Angle: 48 ° Elevation: 11900 ft Sliding Surface: I - New/Old Interface Weak Layer: Interface Weak Layer Grain Type: Precipitation Particles Average Crown: 10 in Maximum Crown: 14 in Average Width: 100 ft Maximum Width: 120 ft Average Vertical: 600 ft Maximum Vertical: 650 ft

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