Grand Mesa
AvalancheBrandon Levy ยท Jan 22, 2023
Weather
Relativley cool and calm for Douglas Pass. The cloud cover increased through the day and was overcast by the time I left the pass. Evidence of previous wind transport from both southerly and northerly winds.
Snowpack
There was a thin layer of wind-drifted snow over the most recent melt-freeze crust on the south-facing slopes above SH139. Compression tests above Pipeline Face produced moderate or hard resistant planar results in the upper snowpack and extended column tests above the Headwall avalanche area produced no results (ECTXs). The most concerning observation was the large surface hoar that was widepsread on the slopes above the road. These crystal were large and proud at the moment-up to 3 cms and standing upright.
Avalanche
Small avalanche activity to SH139 continues and obs are coded in the GIS for highway data purposes.