Front Range

Snowpack

Pit dug at 10,147ft at a NEN aspect (17 degrees) on a 20 degree slope SE of Lost Lake on accent route. Snowpack was a whopping 160-185cm thick and basal facets were completely unreachable. 5-8CM layer wind slab on top failed CTE1. A surprising layer failed 20-25cm down on the first moderate loading step CTM1 with minimal propagation (sudden planar fracture characteristic). A second surprising layer failed 45-50cm down CTH1 (sudden planar fracture characteristic) with some propagation potential. ECT yielded ECTN on the 1st shoulder tap. However, the saw test failed at 40-45cm of the 90. NSF as large as 3mm in this weak layer were observed. No other signs of instability were observed. *attached snowprofile is simplified and does not note some crusts and changes in hardness in the bullet proof slab from 50cm down to 130cm down.*