Front Range
AvalancheRyan Lewthwaite · Mar 22, 2020 · Front Range
Weather
A very snowy afternoon with rates of S2 to S5. There was significant blowing snow with light northwest winds that gusted moderate. Overcast skies and 19.5F degrees.
Snowpack
New snow accumulated to nearly 4 inches by the time I left the field. North and west winds were light gusting moderate with blowing snow. A 20 minute period of intense Graupel snow fell and rolled down the slope. The recent snow since Friday amounted to around 18 inches on Berthoud Pass. Yesterday the sun came out and melted exposed slopes leaving behind a breakable crust 10cm deep. 30cm deep another melt-freeze crust was the previous surface prior to the snow. The concern for avalanches was within the recent snow which was loose and naturally flushing off steep slopes. Each time the winds would gust moderate, powder avalanches would release on slopes steeper than 35 degrees. The recent snow seems to have bonded well to the old snow surface. There was not evidence of small facets grains below the melt-freeze crust. Wind drifted slabs were soft and lacked propagations in my location near treeline.
Avalanche
Saw over 15 naturally occurring Loose Dry avalanche on all aspects and elevations. The recent snow was flushing itself off steep slopes with the help of snow falling from trees and off rocks. No large slab avalanches were observed.