Steamboat & Flat Tops
AvalancheEric Deering · Jan 5, 2017 · Front Range
Weather
Snowing hard all day yesterday (S2-S4), Moderate winds in a.m. then strong Westerly winds 15-20, gusts 30+ in afternoon.
Snowpack
Snow that fell during the night of the 3rd and early morning of 4th was not bonding well to the 6-7" that fell on the 3rd. The snow that fell on the 4th was rimed and much more wind-affected. This interface was the issue on most slopes, N and S around 9600 to 10,400. The exception was on a sheltered N slope around 10,700 that had SH layer (2-4mm) from the short dry, cold spell around New Years day. With the storm slab (1/2/17-1/4/17) sitting on that SH we got very easy ECT results. ECT2 Q2 at 28cm down on the SH.
Avalanche
In a.m. numerous small natural slides on steep convexities. Most were only 15cm or so deep, running on the new snow from the 3rd. Snowcat may have triggered a small avalanche (D1) on the N slope mentioned above. In the afternoon, we remotely triggered a slide from the ridge above. R2 D1+? South Soda drainage, around 9600' N aspect. Ran on the mid storm interface mentioned above. When we skied a low angle line adjacent, one person took a fall and a small pocket of the original slide stepped down to the bottom of the storm slab. So that potential sure seems to be present with other skier triggered slides moving forward.