Details

• Date: 2021/01/14

• Observer: Jason Konigsberg
• Organization: Forecaster, CAIC

Location

• BC Zone: Front Range
• Area Description: First Creek

Weather

• Ridgeline Wind Speed: 40+ mph
• Ridgeline Wind Direction: NW
• Wind Loading: Moderate
• Sky Cover: Few
• Depth of Total Snow: 90 cm
• Weather Description: The wind loading was really hit or miss. Some above treeline slopes were rapidly loading while others were not. Although wind-affected snow was found near and below treeline. Loading at these elevations was not effective where we were travelling

Snowpack

• Snowpack Description: We mostly traveled below treeline and found a thin wind slab about two inches thick. No shooting cracks or collapsing was observed at this elevation. We traveled briefly near treeline and found little evidence of effective wind loading. We dug on a northeast-facing near-treeline slope. We got propagating results in extended column tests after 21 taps on the mid-pack weak layer. This layer is 2 mm faceted crystals. The slab above is 40 cm thick and up to pencil hard above the weak layer. The depth hoar beneath the layer of concern is relatively harder and acting as a bed surface. This is a very similar snowpack structure to what I have found in the Sawatch zone.

Avalanches

• Avalanche Description: Large and deep natural avalanche on a northeast to east-facing slope in Current Creek (coded in other ob). Recent avalanche in the Postage Stamp, south-facing Current Creek. A large avalanche in Eva Creek, southwest facing.

	Date	Location/Path	#	Elev	Asp	Type	Trig	SizeR	SizeD
	2021/01/14  †	Berthoud Pass east side	1	TL	SW	HS
Date: 2021/01/14 (Estimated) Observer: Jason Konigsberg Organization: Forecaster, CAIC Landmark: Berthoud Pass east side
	2021/01/14  †	Berthoud Pass west side	1	TL	S		N	R2	D2
Date: 2021/01/14 (Estimated) Observer: Jason Konigsberg Organization: Forecaster, CAIC Area Description: Current Creek - Postage Stamp Landmark: Berthoud Pass west side

Media

Images