Front Range
Quick reportAndrew McWilliams, Ryan Zarter · Jan 30, 2026 · Front Range
Weather
Light snow, though none accumulated on the truck while we were out, with moderate west winds. Temperatures in the teens.
Snowpack
Moderate winds were transporting the most recent 4 to 6 inches of low-density new snow onto the leeward side of the ridgeline. With continued winds, I'd expect to see slabs forming under the ridge and the easily triggered sluffs to turn into easily triggered wind slabs. Slides could also break on a layer of soft facets and decomposing fragments below a wind-packed layer in the middle of the snowpack - about 30 to 40cm deep. Snowpits on both an east and northeast aspect identified this as the layer of concern, similar to what we're seeing further south around Berthoud Pass and Summit County. The snowpack below treeline felt far more cohesive and supportable here, although I didn't get to travel on a true north-facing slope with any real pitch.