Northern Mountains

DISCUSSION
Lots of clouds spilling over the high pressure ridge to our west
giving partly to mostly cloudy skies over the mountains today. Several
reports of snow banners (snow plumes from wind) off the high peaks as
well from the San Juans to Summit County. There will be a short lull
in the winds a little later this evening but they will return after
midnight. There is another short wave forecast for Sunday night.
Current models keep the moisture in the northern 2/3rds of the state.
It looks to be a fairly quick mover with clearing by Monday afternoon.
The forecast details:
Northern Mountains
Saturday night: Partly to mostly cloudy. Winds NW/15-25 G40s. Lows
12-17.
Sunday: Increasing clouds. Winds W/15-25 G30s. Highs 30-35.
Sunday Night: Lite snow 2-4. Winds NW 5-15, Gs 20s. Lows 12-17
Monday: Mostly cloudy, lingering am showers, 1-3. Winds W 5-15, Gs
20s. Highs 17-22
One good size natural slide reported on Peak 7 in the Tenmile Range,
Summit County, easterly aspect, above TL, probably ran last night.
Estimate 4 Ft crown & ran an estimated 600 vertical ft. Crown was
filling in fast with wind blown snow today. Several small slabs
reported from east of Ike tunnel today, mostly running in the steep,
recently wind loaded areas. One person was caught & broke a binding. 2
small slabs reported from Cameron Pass west of Ft Collins, NE aspects
around 11,600 ft. Observers reporting a strong snow pack around
Montgomery Pass on the lower angle terrrain today, though 2 note the 2
observed small slabs mentioned earlier. One interesting note, if you
are a Tele skier, wear knee pads, while tele skiing west of Eisenhower
tunnel yesterday I center punched a rock with my right knee, tore my
pants, gashed the knee pad, but luckily only a bruised and scraped
knee cap. Without the pad I would be in the hospital today with a
mashed knee cap. Our snowpack has had little time to settle,
consequently there are areas covered with a lot of snow but the mine
fields are still there. This also leads to our ability to possibly
find deeper weaknesses in the snow pack, mainly those areas facing
near to due north where depth hoar had a chance to build earlier in
the season. We continue to receive reports of human triggered slides
near & below treeline, steep terrain. Keep this in mind during your
route selection
I will not change the BC danger ratings from this morning.
The BC danger: N mtns & C mtns ... below TL, MODERATE on NW-E aspects
steeper than 30 degrees ... on the other aspects below treeline the
danger is LOW ... near and above TL, MODERATE, with pockets of
CONSIDERABLE on NW-NE-SE aspects. Use extra caution in all steep
terrain.

Central Mountains

DISCUSSION
Lots of clouds spilling over the high pressure ridge to our west
giving partly to mostly cloudy skies over the mountains today. Several
reports of snow banners (snow plumes from wind) off the high peaks as
well from the San Juans to Summit County. There will be a short lull
in the winds a little later this evening but they will return after
midnight. There is another short wave forecast for Sunday night.
Current models keep the moisture in the northern 2/3rds of the state.
It looks to be a fairly quick mover with clearing by Monday afternoon.
The forecast details:
Grand Mesa area
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Winds NW/5-10. Bit windier on Grand
Mesa & Douglas Pass . Lows 17-22.
Sunday: Partly to mostly cloudy. Winds W/5-10. Highs 35-40.
Sunday night: 1-3. Winds WNW 5-10. Lows 19-24
Monday: Lingering am showers. 1-3. Winds WSW 5-10. Highs 20-25
Rest of the Central Mountains
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Winds NW/15-25, Gs 30s. Lows 12-17.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Winds W/10-20. Highs 30-35.
Sunday Night: 1-3. Winds WNW 5-15. Lows 17-22
Monday: Clearing. Winds WSW 5-15. Highs 18-23.
We have had no avalanche related observations from the Central
Mountains today.
The BC danger: C mtns ... below TL, MODERATE on NW-E aspects steeper
than 30 degrees ... on the other aspects below treeline the danger is
LOW ... near and above TL, MODERATE, with pockets of CONSIDERABLE on
NW-NE-SE aspects. Use extra caution in all steep terrain.

Southern Mountains

DISCUSSION
Lots of clouds spilling over the high pressure ridge to our west
giving partly to mostly cloudy skies over the mountains today. Several
reports of snow banners (snow plumes from wind) off the high peaks as
well from the San Juans to Summit County. There will be a short lull
in the winds a little later this evening but they will return after
midnight. There is another short wave forecast for Sunday night.
Current models keep the moisture in the northern 2/3rds of the state.
It looks to be a fairly quick mover with clearing by Monday afternoon.
The forecast details:
West San Juans
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy,. Winds NW/15-25, Gs 40s. Lows 12-17.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Winds SW/10-15. Highs 30-35.
Sunday Night: Possible showers N side, Mostly cloudy to the S. Winds
NW 10-20, Gs 30s. Lows 17-22
Monday: Mostly cloudy but clearing. Winds SW 5-15. Highs 22-27
Wolf Creek Pass area
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy to mostly clear. Winds NW/10-20. Lows
12-17.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Winds SW/10-15. Highs 30-35. Lows 12-17
Monday: Clear, winds SW 5-15. Highs 18-23
A few small slabs reported from the Red Mtn pass area today, mostly on
N aspects. Observers reported that a couple of these ran to the
ground, the others involved only the newer snow. A close call was
reported from last Sunday when a skier drifted over onto a more N
aspect slope after skiing mostly E aspect terrain during the day. They
were caught in a fairly small sized slide that quickly propagated into
a much larger slide that buried all but their hand.
I will not change the BC danger ratings from this morning.
W San Juans ... below TL overall MODERATE ... near and abv TL,
CONSIDERABLE with pockets of HIGH, especially in areas loaded by NW
winds. Use extra caution, or avoid, steep terrain at this time.
E San Juans around Wolf Creek ... overall MODERATE. Toepfer