Sawatch
SnowpackJason Konigsberg · May 4, 2018 · Sawatch
Weather
Wind was calm with just a cool, light, northerly breeze at 14k feet. Skies were partly cloudy in the morning with more cloud to the east and over the Mosquito range. Clear skies in the afternoon, still thicker clouds to the east.
Snowpack
New snow was non-existent below 12k feet. Above 12k feet there was about 3 to 4 inches with drifted areas of 8 inches. Many steep southerly and easterly rocky chutes shed all of the storm snow. On open above-treeline slopes the snow stayed cool and was barely moist. A thin wind slab exists on easterly slopes but no cracking was observed. Snow was supportable in the morning from trailhead to peak. Snow only became unsupportable below treeline in the afternoon, but little snow is left at this elevation.