Front Range
AvalancheEthan Davis · Jan 21, 2015 · Front Range
Weather
Mostly calm to light wind and snowing lightly. Intermittent bouts of heavier snow (S1). Most of the snow showers seemed to be heaviest east of the divide and lower in elevation down to 7,000 ft or so. Two to three inches fell from 11:30-3:30 PM near the parking lot. Sun tried to poke out but never did.
Snowpack
Below Treeline (9,200-10,700): Height of snow was 40-120 cm. Shallower southeast aspects at 9,800 ft had a pronounced melt-freeze crust under the recent storm snow. It was ~10 cm thick. Supportable in some areas but punchy in most. Beneath this crust was faceted snow to the ground. Near Treeline (10,800-11,000 ft): East aspects. Height of snow on average was 130 cm with deeper drifts. HST 30 cm since Tuesday night. Fresh snow sat on a very strong 1F+ -> P mid pack slab. The ground was moist 20 cm of rounding facets. No results in CT's. Storm snow was not observed to be slabby at my location but a bit higher on the ridge had been moved into obvious deeper drifts.
Avalanche
Two small loose dry avalanches in very steep north-facing terrain below treeline. No slab avalanches seen.