Sawatch
SnowpackScott Toepfer · Feb 1, 2013 · Sawatch
Weather
At noon it was 23 F at the trailhead. At 3 PM it was 14 F at 12,000 feet. A windy day even well below treeline. Winds were strong enough to create towering 'snow devils' a hundred feet and higher than the surrounding forest well below treeline. Large and long banners streaming off the Sangre's/Buckeye Peak ridge. Winds created enough blowing snow to leave ridgelines difficult to pick out on most of the tour. On occasion a blue patch would streak by. If the angle was right I could see multiple fracture lines well above treeline. Skies were generally overcast to obscured. Difficult to tell if it was snowing as there was so much blowing snow.
Snowpack
Up track was generally on west and southwest aspect side of the drainage. The recent rain event crust reported from Vail was also noticed here up to treeline. The snowpack was generally 18-24 inches deep in the upper valley. It consisted of about 2/3rds facets and depth hoar. A very fragile rain crust, and the stiffening storm slab of 8-10" thick