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The geormorphology of subalpine snow avalanche runout zones: San juan mountains, colorado

1982; Wiley; Volume: 7; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/esp.3290070205

1096-9837

Thomas Huber,

Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes

Abstract A comparison was made between the distal ends of twenty‐two avalanche and fifteen non‐avalanche slopes in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, U.S.A. All slopes occurred in the subalpine zone. Six characteristics were used for analysis: type of slope, surface material, longitudinal profile, perched debris or debris tails, avalanche impact on opposite valley wall, and transverse profile. Both fan and roadbank avalanche slope types were found along with the non‐avalanche slopes. Almost all slopes were turf covered rather than talus since the work was done below treeline. Twenty avalanche slopes had a distinctive concave longitudinal profile. Little debris of any kind was found since the slopes were in an area of insignificant amounts of detritus. Many of the larger and two of the smaller avalanche slopes showed evidence of impact upon the opposite slope. Eighteen of the avalanche slopes had convex transverse profiles.