Front Range
SnowpackAmanda Loughlin · Mar 2, 2025 · Front Range
Weather
Warm, mostly sunny, with a light west breeze and moderate gusts.
Snowpack
This area has lost a lot of snow since my last visit here on February 9th. Below tree line on east to southeast facing aspects, the height of snow ranged from 0 to 80cm. Snow that was directly in the sun was warming quickly by 11am, and I was close to wringing water from the snow. Snow in shaded spots was still dry. As I continued up to east facing trees between 10,600 and 11,100ft, anywhere the sun hit the snow I experienced glopping on my skins. The height of snow here varied between 60-150cm. I dug a pit on an east facing aspect in the direct sun near tree line at 11,177ft and was shocked the snow wasn't moist to wet. I found a slab sitting on top of facets and depth hoar that wasn't reactive to extended column tests, but produced result of 48/100 (End) on propagation saw test. As I continued skinning on north northwest aspects near tree line, I encountered obvious signs of wind effect: wind stripped areas, wind loaded features, breakable wind slabs, and sastrugi. Probing around on north facing aspects around 11,200ft, the height of snow ranged from 0- 200cm. A snow pit dug on shady, north facing aspect did not produce results on extended column test or propagation saw test. I ran my saw through 4F facets sandwiched between two melt freeze crusts. After nothing happened on this layer, I ran my saw again through basal facets for shear curiosity and once again to my surprise, no propagation occurred.