Front Range
AvalanchePayton Schiff · Feb 23, 2023 · Front Range
Weather
CLR and sunny from 1000-1100 with increasing cloud cover until 1300. Cold single digit temps and moderate wind speeds.
Snowpack
We skied BTL and ATL on NW-W-SW aspects in a burn area where there is little canopy cover even BTL. variable sized wind crust with small 2-3cm crust on more northerly aspects and 6-8cm sun crust on more southerly aspects. ATL on a NW aspect, the snow felt fairly well consolidated through to the ground. Lower down the slop, on a NW aspect felt softer and less consolidated with more of a "drop" when you get to that depth hoar layer at the bottom. The ridgeline was very wind affected with bare rocks and small grasses sticking out of the snow, particularly on the W side.
Avalanche
L-N-R1-D1 We observed multiple dry loose D1 avalanches from the highway that all initiated from a small cliff band on an E aspect BTL. The biggest one ran approx 200 feet. Unfortunately didn't catch a photo of them as we were driving when they were observed