Front Range

Avalanche

Robert Coppolillo · May 2, 2019 · Front Range

Weather

Steady W wind, mostly sunny with periods of intense solar input. Intense blosno off Divide at times.

Snowpack

30cm of settled HST, 4F on average, more sun affected on sunnier slopes by midday. Wind effect off Divide and exposed areas at TL. Moist snow atop old snow surface, at TL and BTL, 5cm crust with moist grains below that. Below 11K weak overnight refreeze made for mush skiing by 14:00 on exit. Still generally very good coverage. Numerous collapses and small whumpfs at treeline is meadows on sunnier aspects, relatively shallow. No cracks or whumps in the alpine (surprisingly). Snow seems to be settling rapidly.

Avalanche

Main ob: looker's right (north) of Stanley Knob, approx 250m, approx sz. 2-3 avalanche ran from a suspected cornice (huge!) collapse, E aspect. Approx 75m wide section of slope right off Divide ran to ground in places, still parts of crown and flank present, but ragged margins of slab, so hard to determine exact size. Debris ran out of sight onto flat/forested terrain below. Assume it was cornice collapse that triggered full-depth avalanche in places, ran within old snow in other places. Hadn't filled in yet and with strong winds, seems like it went in the last 12 hours? Just below ridgeline on "Corner Pocket," another slab avalanche immediately below small cornice, approx 15m wide, 30cm deep, ran to flatter terrain below, sz. 1, fanned out, NE aspect. Stomped around above/beside it, but couldn't get anything to move. Rapid settlement throughout day and relatively warm temps seem to be bonding new snow. (Photo attached) Head of Current and 2nd Creeks, large chunks of cornices have fallen in numerous places, but without triggering deeper layers.