Vail & Summit County
AvalancheKreston Rohrig · Dec 29, 2018 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Clear and cold but pleasant in the sun. Light westerly breeze on the ridge above 12k.
Snowpack
The snowpack in this portion of the zone is much thinner than areas to the west. All aspects have been heavily wind-effected and most are devoid of snow. Wind-drifted east facing slopes have by far the best coverage, followed by cross-loaded north facing gullies. Below treeline, the snowpack is fully faceted and struggles to support the weight of a skier. Moving up in elevation, hardened wind-slabs rest above a weak, faceted mid and lower-pack. Recent wind slabs were well connected through open above treeline terrain on east facing slopes. Elsewhere, the coverage is spotty and slabs are confined to leeward features. If this area sees a heavy load, steep east-facing slopes could become very dangerous.
Avalanche
One old avalanche that stepped down mid-path was observed. Likely triggered around 12/24. Interestingly, it was on a steep rollover near treeline at the bottom of an open bowl. The feature was heavily wind-loaded and likely triggered by a cornice failure.