Front Range
AvalancheGreg Seekell · Dec 23, 2022 · Front Range
Weather
warmer than expected, -2c at the trailhead, -6c with light surface winds at 11900' E aspect at 1300 with intermittent light blowing snow. Ridge top winds closer to 13000' were strong from the NW. Scattered clouds all days, lower overcast clouds S of 70.
Snowpack
E aspect 11300-11900'. HS 40-70cm. Predominately faceted snowpack, F hard 3-4mm striated facets near the ground, mid pack was pretty varied hardness and grain size throughout the area but generally smaller, harder facets, under a layer of new or wind transported snow that varied from 4F to P hard and 5-20cm thick. The new snow cracked underfoot and we were able to release some P hard 15-20cm thick windslabs on small wind loaded features around 11900'.
Avalanche
Saw a D2 size debris field 12100' below a SE aspect just W of of the summit of Woods Mtn. A shallow or refilled crown visible around maybe 12700-12800', whats currently visible doesn't look like it would produce the debris field, so guessing this is a bit older. The S aspects of Woods mtn through the W aspects of Parnassus are pretty bare, not enough snow for a large avalanche.