Front Range
AvalancheZach Taylor · Nov 26, 2016 · Front Range
Weather
Clear and sunny with temps in the low 20s F. Breezy at ridgelines above treeline with visible windloading occurring on leeward aspects.
Snowpack
The surface snow on the east face of S. Diamond Peak was primarily comprised of stellar and decomposing crystals. Typical basal facets were observed near the ground.
Avalanche
I observed four recent avalanches yesterday on the east face of S. Diamond Peak. As I was pulled into the parking lot of Cameron pass yesterday at approximately 1130 I noticed the slides on the face. When I pulled into the parking lot two other people in the parking lot said that the avalanches had just occurred. 911 was called by another observer. My partner and I decided to tour up to the peak and see what was going on. Just as we departed the TH a skier and snowboarder descended and they stated that they had triggered two of the other avalanches. They stated to me that no one else had been in the slides. My partner and I toured up to the base of the east face of S. Diamond Peak. There were four avalanches. Two natural D2-R2s on the looker's left side of the east face of S. Diamond Peak and two skier/rider triggered slides to looker's right of the summit on the east face. One was D2/R2 and the larger one on the farther looker's right was D3/R3, big enough to bury several vehicles. All were soft slabs that ran on basal facets near the ground.