Steamboat & Flat Tops

Avalanche

Anonymous ยท Mar 29, 2020

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Weather

Last night's storm was exiting but left about 6-8" of new and probably a storm total closer to 15" since Friday morning. Incredible number of people in North routt. Trailheads packed with visitors.

Snowpack

Pit dug about 8 miles west of hahns peak @ 10,000ft on an east aspect showed some reactivity on the new/old interface down about 40-50cms. CTM/CTH with mostly RP fractures down 45cms. ECTP 29 down 60cms on a melt/freeze crust had us dial back terrain a little bit. New snow was also sluffing on steep rollers and was sufficient to make a bad day. Unsure of trigger for hahns peak slide but crown seemed to be limited to new snow.

Avalanche

Main chute on hahns peak triggered from near ridge line and looked to entrain quite a bit of the new snow. Estimate about 800ft vertical and wider at the top, could have been a wind slab initiation with subsequent loose dry. Saw various point releases during tour.