Vail & Summit County
AvalancheEric Haskell · Mar 23, 2016 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Warm temps last few days, producing melt freeze crusts on solar aspects; less pronounced on N and E aspects for past several days. Cornice breaks noticed on east and north aspects above tree line. Cooler temps today. Winds mostly out of west to north with significant loading observed today on east and southeast aspects at all elevations. 13cm new snow overnight and an additional 5cm as of 3pm this afternoon. Obscured skies, moderate precipitation and moderate NW winds today with strong gusts.
Snowpack
Dug two pits: 1. 3/20/16 - E aspect 11630ft on crossloaded open face just below Pk 12684. HS 155cm. Wind slab and persistent slab sensitive to testing. Sudden results and propagation 27cm down (just under newly wind deposited snow - CTM SP, ECTP16) and 103cm down (top of depth hoar interface, CTM SC, PST 30/100 End) 2. 3/22/16 - NNE aspect Chalk Mtn, 11700ft on open slope 50M below ridgeline. HS 145cm. Wind slab and persistent slab sensitive to testing. Sudden results and propogation 44cm down (just below wind deposited snow - CTH SP, ECTP25). Persistent slab at bottom did not show sudden results but failed on PST (CTH BRK, PST 36/100 END.) Hasty pit on W aspect near treeline showed poor structure (pencil hard crust above fist hard facets) No sudden results (CTE BRK 85cm down.)
Avalanche
Multiple wind slabs from previous week observed on east aspects above treeline and near treeline - mostly small(R1D1) with a few larger slides(R2D2). Significant cornice collapses from past week observed on mostly north aspects above treeline. No new slides observed as of past four days - poor visibility today.