Front Range
SnowpackPaul Rogers · Feb 3, 2012 · Front Range
Weather
Skied in late afternoon 2:30-5:30PM. Winds calm, 5 mph out of E. Temps 18-20. Precip: Started out at S2 tapering to NO, then going back up to S2 in late afternoon/early evening. Observed no wind loading at ridge tops. Sky: Obscured most of the tour with occasional Overcast.
Snowpack
Primarily toured NE-E aspects, at and below TL. 1.5-2 feet of new storm snow and it was extremely low density. In general, storm snow rested on a very hard Pencil to Pencil+ wind slab and observed small (.5) facet layer between new/old interface in protected areas. In protected areas the new storm snow reached at least 2 feet in depth. During tour we experienced no winds, yet storm snow in unprotected areas was wind effected presumably from in-storm winds apparently from NE direction. In these unprotected areas, especially at and above TL, storm snow was variable -few inches in wind scoured areas to 2+ feet in leeward areas. Observed no cracking, whumping or rumbling and observed few instabilities between new/old interfaces on terrain traveled in this area, but again, note that new storm snow was very low density. Overall, some fantastic cold-smoke skiing in protected areas with a lot of face shots. We stayed in lower angle <30 degree terrain due to avi danger rating. Snowpack could be generally described in this region as: Below TL, 2 feet of new low density storm snow resting on facets while near/at TL, new storm snow (affected from IN-storm winds) resting on very hard (Penicl) persistent wind slab and the slab was highly variable across terrain.