Vail & Summit County

Snowpack

A large slide was observed in an area known as "river gauge" in Vail on Red Sandstone Rd, Forest service RD 700. The slide was on a slope with a mostly eastern exposure. Width was about 1/4 mile long along the ridge line below tree line. Length was about 750'. The crown was 2' deep. The debris field was along the length of the road with depths up to 10'. Along with the snow there were several small trees found in the debris. There is a known avy chute in this area with an angle of 50 degrees+...however the slide ran the entire length of the ridge. I have been a snowmobile guide in this area for 7 years. Along with daily observations we have dug pits from time to time and even done some ski cuts on this hill for control over the years. This is the largest slide I have ever observed in this area! This was a natural slide and there were several more smaller slides observed in the same area on lower angles along "Indian Creek".