Front Range

Avalanche

Anonymous · Nov 22, 2015 · Front Range

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Weather

Clear Skies, light winds gusting to moderate out of the NW, temperatures in the upper 20's.

Snowpack

Severely wind affected snow on E, NE aspects. Average snow depth 55-75 cm with some deeper drifts to 130 cm. ECTN14 PC on a density break below wind slab40 cm down, CTH24 B at the ground on 2.0 mm facets.

Avalanche

While skinning just below the skier's right ridgeline at upper Hidden Valley in Rocky Mountain National Park experienced a collapse with shooting cracks on wind slab above skin track. Avalanche ran about 1 foot before arresting due to the low slope angle. Fracture propagated 75-100 yards with max crown heights in significantly wind-loaded areas of 130 cm with the ground visible between upper cracks. Slope aspect 110, slope angle 25 degrees. Certainly not steep enough to slide very far, but a good reminder of the type of instabilities that exist currently, and their sensitivity to human triggering.