Vail & Summit County

Avalanche

Paul Schmidt · Feb 4, 2014 · Vail & Summit County

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Weather

Humbug Creek Drainage @ 15:30 Aspect: 42 Elevation: ~11,800 Sky: OVC Precip.: S1 Air Temp: -16C Wind: L, 303 HS: 138cm HN24: ~3-4cm

Snowpack

Humbug Creek Drainage @ 15:30 Aspect: 42 Elevation: ~11,800 Slope Angle: 33 Skinned up from Mayflower Gulch Trail head and took the typical route up to the ridge towards Mayflower Hill. Does not look like anyone has skied here in a while, broke trail the whole way. Below treeline snow was soft with ski penetration about boot deep. Above treeline on the ridge there are significant pockets of wind slab that don't allow any ski penetration and only about 2-3cm of boot pen. with some effort. Some whompfing at treeline was observed as well as some very minor cracking closer to the ridge top. Dropped into the Humbug drainage and dug a pit. Observed about 45cm of F on top of about 45cm of 4F+, on top of about 45cm of F (large striated crystals 2-4mm). STM@102, 100, 79, & 45cm, 102, 100, & 79cm fractures = Q3, 45cm fracture = Q2 1) CT13@45cm, SC 2) CT22@45cm, SC

Avalanche

None Observed