Front Range
AvalancheRyan Lewthwaite · Apr 8, 2020 · Front Range
Weather
A windy morning with gusts near 40mph until 1PM. Moderate west winds were creating blowing snow. Above treeline temperatures were near 36F degrees with few clouds.
Snowpack
All aspects and elevations are melting, but north aspects are staying firm longer into the afternoon. North aspects above treeline had a 2cm breakable melt freeze crust with pockets of soft wind deposited snow. This snowpack was dry and winds above treeline reduced melting in this location. This snowpack is quite firm until 112cm from the ground where weak grains have lingered for most of the winter. East and south aspects were melting most rapidly with wet grains almost 15cm deep. Several natural and one skier triggered loose wet avalanche was witnessed. A piece of cornice dropped onto a steep slope where wind deposited snow released a shallow slab avalanche. East and south aspects were prone to loose wet avalanches after 12 noon.
Avalanche
I witnessed several natural Loose Wet avalanches above treeline today. I saw one small Loose Wet, skier triggered, avalanche in steep terrain. A portion of east facing cornice fell on the wind drifted slope below releasing a large wet slab avalanche. There were remnants of 2 previous cornice fall/ wind slab avalanches of D2 size.