We rode into Buck Ridge today, 01/22, towards the Bear Creek wilderness boundary. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Skiers and riders should give themselves wide safety margins when traveling around avalanche terrain. Cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making are essential.
We saw multiple natural avalanches in Beaver Creek, First Yellowmule, Second Yellowmule, Third Yellowmule, and McAtee Basin. The recent avalanches were large enough to bury or injure backcountry travelers (D2) and likely happened within the last 24-48 hours.
We stopped at the crown of an avalanche in Beaver Creek and found a stiff, cohesive slab of wind-drifted snow on top of faceted snow below (ECTP 13, HS=188). The avalanche failed on the interface between the wind-loaded snow and fist hard facets below. The avalanche broke 2-3 feet deep, 100 feet wide, and ran 100 vertical feet.
Some avalanches we saw were on wind-loaded slopes, and others were not. All steep slopes are suspect.