Front Range
AvalancheIan Fowler · Dec 28, 2023 · Front Range
Weather
Wind was still moving snow quite effectively loading south and southeast slopes.
Snowpack
Near the treeline, on southeasterly slopes, there were shooting cracks on some steep rolls but not others. These seemed to be a continuity of slab issue as I was able to find a facet crust combination towards the top of the snowpack quite widespread on slopes steeper than about 25- 30 degrees. I was unable to ascertain how far the crust wrapped to the east. Looking at a crown profile of an avalanche on a southeast aspect around 12,600ft about six days prior, I was surprised to see the avalanche had run at the ground. This aspect had a facet crust layer at the ground with a very stout mid-pack slab. It seems like the snowmobile rider who triggered the slide must have found a thin spot either mid-slab or at the fringes where they were able to penetrate the 80cm of pencil-hard snow.
Avalanche
The avalanche I looked at had been previously reported here. https://avalanche.state.co.us/observations/field-report/96b78767-0781-4002-9347-6f3b4b72d2b1