Front Range

Avalanche

Chris Johnson · Mar 22, 2020 · Front Range

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Weather

Weather was chilly (~25-30*F), snowing moderately, and very windy at and above the lake (9,800 ft +). Wind was blowing NNW, and moving considerable amounts of snow. After descending to the lake, clouds cleared and sun came out (~1:00 pm).

Snowpack

From informal observations, there was a crust, most likely from sun exposure on Saturday, on most slopes, but most firm on south-facing slopes. About 4 inches of snow had accumulated on top of the crust. On one small, secluded slope of ~45*, I tested the snowpack with my skis and saw some propagation of cracks, and slabs of snow detaching roughly 6-8 inches deep.

Avalanche

None observed.