Snowy Range Avalanche

John Korfmacher · Joined: 03 Dec 2008 Posts: 29 Location: Fort Collins, CO

Hi Everyone--

The corn is starting to get set up at Glacier Lakes and the turns were pretty nice yesterday. However, the snowpack is not yet stable. Sometime in the past week the entire cornice above West Glacier Lake cut loose. The crown face is at least 300-400m long and there were blocks the size of boxcars scattered about.

Note the sled tracks--geez people, be careful up there! Photo by John Frank:

mornindew · Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 9

John,
Thanks for the intel, I personally don't know this spot. Do you know what the elevation and aspect is? I was thinking about getting into a SSE couloir this weekend and seeing this makes me think twice.

Any info would be helpful.

Craig

John Korfmacher · Joined: 03 Dec 2008 Posts: 29 Location: Fort Collins, CO

Top of the ridge is about 11,600 ft., aspect is SE. There is usually a massive cornice up there and it isn't too surprising that it broke off. What is unusual is that the whole thing went at once--I've been going up there weekly for seven years and I've never seen it do that.

I'd interpret that to indicate that something might be funky in other similar features in the area. Maybe I'm talking out my ass--I'm no snow physics expert. But, I'd recommend waiting for things to firm up a bit more before getting into a couloir.

wyosam · Joined: 22 Jan 2009 Posts: 13

I was up in that area when that cornice broke big like that a couple years ago- I think it was just about this same time of year. It was awesome to listen to. Sounded like thunder when it went, then it wasn't really loud while it all came down, but it just sounded like raw power. I love to hang out up there when those are likely to go, just because its such an amazing display of power- and a good reminder to stay the hell out from under them!

mornindew · Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 9

Thank you very much for the info.

Craig

wyosam · Joined: 22 Jan 2009 Posts: 13

Still pretty active up there- Saw several crowns in the snow from this week, and more huge pieces of cornice coming down. Shaping up to be a great spring up high though- road is open up past the Brooklyn lake rd now, not sure how much further its plowed, but I bet by next weekend it will be bike-to-ski season.