Steamboat & Flat Tops

Avalanche

CMC AIARE Lvl 2 · Feb 26, 2022 · Steamboat & Flat Tops

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Weather

9300ft, north and south aspects. Temps in the teens all day, south aspects stayed cold despite clear skies. Light winds out of the south-southwest at ridge top. Some limited, light wind transport of snow.

Snowpack

9300ft, north and south aspects, ridge top. North facing slopes near ridge line had many shooting cracks (some up to 10 meters out) in wind drifted snow, a little further down slope out of wind loading area the shooting cracks did not happen as much. Lots of easy and moderate CT/ECT movement and propagation on a near surface facet/surface hoar layer 30-40cms down. Due south aspects had 2-3 sun crusts with a few ECTP in easy loading steps down ~25cms on crust/facet interface.

Avalanche

East aspect, 8500ft near Steamboat lake, small D1 slab. Unknown trigger, unknown date. Crown and flanks still had crisp edges so likely released in the last few days as the storm exited.