Module 2: Snowpit Basics

– Independent Practice
SAO 164 Snow & Weather Observation 1
D. Weber
Location:
• Site 1 – North Star Mtn, Hoosier Pass West Side
• Blue River, Colorado
• Vail/Summit County Zone

2022.01.17
Table of Content
• Site Locations
• SNOTEL Stations
• Weather & Snowpack Conditions
• Avalanche Forecast
• Test Pit Observations
• Avalanche Activity
 Lake Dillon, CO

Overview of Sites
• Southern End of Vail/Summit Zone
• Site 1 – Hoosier Pass West Side
• Site 2 – Hoosier Pass East Side
Breckenridge, CO
• Site 3 – Pennsylvania Creek
Horseshoe Basin
• Site 4 – Mayflower Gulch Gold Hill
• Caltopo Link:
https://caltopo.com/m/B1H7L
 • Site 1 is located on Hoosier pass near North
Star Mtn
Site 1 – Module 2 Snow Pit • The site is near & above tree line on a
northern aspect that represents a typical
Colorado Avalanche Problem
SNOTEL Sites for Copper Resort

Weather/Snowpack
Data Breckenridge, CO

• Fremont Pass SNOTEL

• 11,300 ft
• Data for Snowpack, temps, and
precipitation
• Climax CDOT
• 11,374 ft
• Wind data for below Tree line
• Hoosier Pass SNOTEL
• 11,582 ft
• Data for Snowpack, temps, and
precipitation
• Breck SA – Peak 6 Vail Resorts
• 12,573 ft
• Wind data for above Tree Line
Mt Arkansas
 • Overall Colorado snowpack is above average
Colorado Snowpack • December/January storm cycles helped a lot!
 • Fremont pass SWE is above the Medium (YR
SNOTEL Sites Snowpack ’91-’20)
• Hoosier pass SWE is near the Medium
Comparison (YR ’91-’20)
 • High northwest and westerly winds have been consistent
for Vail/Summit County Zone
• Northwest and westerly winds are a typical Upslope
Climax CDOT/Break PK 6 – Flow Pattern for Vail/Summit County Zone

Wind Charts • High precipitation occurs

• Consistent high winds above tree line for transporting
snow onto easterly aspects
November Weather
• Low to Moderate danger
• Wind slab and Persistent slab as main
problems
• Calm weather with some precipitation
• 10” of new snow at beginning of month
• 4” of new snow at end of month
• High temps and clear skies for most of
November
• Snowpack was mostly faceted snow or wind
pack snow
• Large surface hoar (4 mm) formed towards
the end of the month.
• Depth hoar found at ground
December/January Weather
• December • Early January
• Consistent storm cycles – 34”-50” of new • 15”-30” of new snow in the first two
snow though out the month weeks
• Super high westerly winds and gusts • Danger dropped to moderate
formed stiff wind slabs near and above • Persistent slab main problem with some
tree line wind slab at higher elevations
• Mostly considerable danger with a few
high danger days
• Consistent persistent slab with on and off
wind slab
• Persistent slab was on all elevation bands
and even on westerly aspects
Jan 3, 2022
Avalanche Forecast
 Module 2 Test Pit
North Star Mtn, Hoosier Pass
@ 11,660’ on NE Aspect
Column Test - CT11, SP @ 22 cm from GRND
Extended Column Test – ECTP8 @ 22 cm from GRND
Field Report - Test Pit
Snow Pilot – Test Pit Results
Snowpack Observations
• Thick slab from the December storm cycle sits over weak old snow from
November.
• The bottom 34 cm are facets with depth hoar forming near the ground.
• Once I dug my pit, I knew the problem layer was going to be either the 22 or 34
cm interface.
• 6 yellow flags were observed at both interfaces
• High westerly winds has created stiff slabs on easterly aspects at higher
elevations.
Field Report for Module 2
Avalanche Activity
• A lot of avalanches reported through out
Colorado
• December storm cycles kicked off the
avalanche season
• Avalanches are happening on all elevation
bands and aspects – Widespread cycle
• Mostly D2 size and natural avalanches!!!!
• Easterly aspects near and above tree line
are seeing the most
Fatal Avalanche near
Test Pit – Jan 8, 2022
• Fatal avalanche happened near Site 1 on
Hoosier pass right below North Star
Mountain
• HS-AIu-R3-D2-O
• East aspect at 11,800 ft on a 35-degree
Concave slope
• Full report is now on CAIC

https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/acc/acc
_report.php?accfm=inv&acc_id=801&vie
w=public