Front Range
AvalancheTARA VESSELLA · Dec 14, 2017 · Front Range
Weather
1100hrs: on Trail Ridge Road, 100yd down road of Juniper (old Hidden Valley ski area run) & TRR intersection. 10,046ft. NW aspect. 5-8cm HS on roadway (one day previous was dry asphalt). Tair: -7C. Winds: W to NW 15-20mph. Moderate wind transport BTL, NTL, and ATL. 1310hr: on Trail Ridge Road at Knife Edge/Hanging Valley. 11,050ft. E aspect. HS 10-50cm variable depth due to wind transport. Tair: -8C. Winds: NW 20-25mph. 1415hrs: on Trail Ridge Road at Knife Edge/Hanging Valley. 11,050ft. N aspect. Tair: -11C. Winds: NW 25-31mp (with Kestrel) hard to stand up on asphalt roadway in ski boots. *Winds began to increase around 1pm. Significant wind transport later in day. Hard to see ridge lines due to blowing snow in atmosphere.
Snowpack
New snow on Trail Ridge Road at 10am was 5-8cm. Little wind transport at time Where snow is present on E aspects near tree line, there are facets and a firm melt freeze layer to the ground with 5-10cm of new precipitation particles on top. HS varied 10-50cm on E aspect 100yds below TRR. 2 full data pits dug with CTN and ECTX in both on E aspects. Little to no snow cover above 11,000ft and little to no snow cover below 9,800ft. All transported into middle elevations. Most of the new snow (5-8cm) onTrail Ridge Road was gone on our descent from above tree line after 2:30pm that we had skied in on in the morning.
Avalanche
No avalanches observed during the day. Soft slab forming in some areas scattered and isolated on E aspects NTL and ATL.