Front Range
SnowpackAustin DiVesta · Apr 11, 2023 · Front Range
Weather
Hot and sunny. Mid-morning, there were moderate WSW winds near and above treeline, but by noon they decrease to a light breeze.
Snowpack
Poor overnight temperatures did not allow for a substantial refreeze on Tuesday morning. Most shaded areas along the Guanella Pass road had a small 2-3cm supportable crust at 9am, but quickly decomposed with the warming temperatures. I traveled on a small east-facing road cut towards the top of the pass around 9:30 am and kept wallowing as my skis would sink through the entire snowpack. I got significant collapsing throughout this slope, about 20-50ft around my skis. I chose to dig a snowpit here for two reasons: I had dug here previously in the season, and two, to see what the weak layers were doing here. The overall snowpack height is similar to when I was here on March 5th, with a similar structure. The collapse and confirmation that the weak basal layer was wet confirmed that Wet Slab avalanches could happen in this area. The Extended Column Test produced propagation on isolation (ECTPV @ 71cm). As I moved up in elevation, the snow surface became supportable due to the significant wind-affected snow around this area, but the top 5-10cm became moist. I also looked at a northeast slope above treeline along a ridgeline and found a snow height of 191cm. The entire snowpack comprised Pencil to 1 Finger hard snow for 136cm. I did not notice any persistent grains in this 136cm. Additionally, I found snow heights of 175cm on an east-facing slope, and in the upper 100cm, I also mainly found Pencil to 1 Finger hard snow. The only other major layer I saw about 40cm was a melt-freeze crust with no persistent grains around it. On some steeper slopes alpine slopes, I did not notice rollerballs or point releases, but as temperatures continue to warm on Wednesday, it will become a problem. On the egress, the snow became even more punchy.