Grand Mesa
AvalancheBrandon Levy · Dec 16, 2020 · Grand Mesa
Weather
Calm with fog. Temperatures in the teens with an inch or so of new snow and intermittent snowfall less than one inch per hour throughout the morning.
Snowpack
Ski penetration noticeably decreased to around 20cm even in sheltered terrain. When approaching the profile location one knee bend and subsequent pressure initiated a rumbling collapse. Despite that, long column tests still propagated on the faceted snow below the recent storm snow (ECTP14 down 48 on 2mm FC). CDOT plow ops recorded 29" of storm snow at the roadside weather plot from 12/11 to 12/16. This snow has settled to about 18" at the relatively sheltered profile location and is up to one finger in resistance.
Avalanche
Small loose snow sluffs at the Cliffs and steep cut banks