Item: Snow Creep Movement in the San Juan Mountain Snowpack Red Mountain Pass
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Title: Snow Creep Movement in the San Juan Mountain Snowpack Red Mountain Pass
Proceedings: Proceedings of the 1994 International Snow Science Workshop, Snowbird, Utah, USA
Authors:
- Walter Walker [ Coordinator of Outdoor Pursuits, Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado 81301 ]
Date: 1994
Abstract: During the winter of 1992/93 and 1993/94 an attempt was made to measure and document the amount of snow creep on a north-facing slope near the St. Paul Lodge, on Red Mountain Pass in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. Weekly measurements were taken of plates placed in the snowpack. The plates were placed in the surface of the snowpack at the start of each month. Significant movement was recorded in both years. When comparing creep movement to snow type, "large amounts of movement (greater than 10 cm per week) did not occur until kinetic snow growth was slowed and surface snow remained in the equilibrium fonn. The movements have been recorded and correlated with SnowTel precipitation records and avalanche cycles on Red Mountain Pass/US Highway 550. An attempt was made to define the amount of movement required for "accelerated creep".
Object ID: issw-1994-408-413.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Unknown
Keywords: snow growth, snowpack, accelerated creep
Page Number(s): 408-413
Subjects: slab avalanche avalanche starting zones snow growth
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