Front Range

Snowpack

Nick Barlow · Feb 2, 2018 · Front Range

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Weather

Warm, sunny, and calm during skin from parking lot to Pat's Knob. Skies turned overcast with dark alto & nimbo-stratus layer arriving from the NW. W/NW winds gusting moderate between periods of calm. Occasional S-1 observed during descent and egress.

Snowpack

Variable depending on elevation and aspect, mostly faceted. Recent storm snow (~10cm) was high density and not drifting efficiently, even during strong gusts. HS generally in the 80-120cm range. Cohesive, wind-drifted surface slab (10-20cm thick) evident on SE-facing slopes, but no cracking or reactivity in tests. Mid-pack features a (P-) hardness slab, which is now almost entirely faceted and brittle. HS 180cm observed on a sheltered NE-facing slope BTL. This snowpack was 100% faceted, with boot-penetration up to my chest.