Front Range

Snowpack

Brian Lazar · Dec 3, 2014 · Front Range

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Weather

Dark clouds west of Continental Divide, but they had a hard time pushing east of the divide. East, mainly high thin cloud cover with sun getting through, creating a bit of a greenhouse effect. Moist snow surface on lower elevation sunny slopes by 11:00am. Pretty calm for this usually windy area, but still a steady stiff west breeze once on the ridge.

Snowpack

Thin and highly-wind affected. Drifts up to 2+ meters deep just meters away from dry ground. Near surface facets blown around into patches 5cm deep and 10m across, separated by wind scoured hard slick slabs. BTL: little hazard other than obstacles. Mostly facets top to bottom NTL: most worrisome elevation. Very hard slabs continuous for 10-30m across. ATL: wind wrecked. little avalanche hazard.