Grand Mesa
SnowpackBrandon Levy · Dec 8, 2019 · Grand Mesa
Weather
Mainly overcast with periods of Broken sky cover. Increasing wind from the Southwest with temperature in the upper twenties although it felt warmer. Snowfall rate of 1 cm per hour or less with mainly graupel falling. Raining at the turn to Marble and below on McClure Pass
Snowpack
22" at the roadside stake with 32" at the profile location above Cliffs #6. One inch of new snow was primarily graupel. Layer of surface hoar down 13 cms was not obvious as a proud layer in the profile wall but was mixed in with grauple and decomposing fragments. Shovel tilt failed easily on that layer. Collapses extending 20-50'. The profile location collapsed as I transitioned from skis to boots and took one step. Still an extended column test produced a propagating result with easy-moderate force. (ECTP11 down 55cms on 2-6mm DH) Large difference between foot and ski penetration with 45cms and 5-10cms respectively.