Front Range
SnowpackRon Simenhois · Jan 29, 2025 · Front Range
Weather
Clear skies with temperatures in the mid-20sF and light winds gusting into the low 20s MPH from the east.
Snowpack
The snowpack along my trip was 1 m to 1.5 deep. Below and at the tree line, on N-E-S aspects, the snowpack was almost entirely faceted and seemed to lose the ability to propagate a weak layer crack across the slope (ECTN17). Boot penetration in these locations was almost to the bottom of the snowpack. Above tree line, on N-E aspects, a 15-25cm thick, K+ hard slab under 5cm F hard facets caps the mostly faceted snowpack. This slab can drive propagation (ECTP23), but trigger points for this setup are hard to find. Boot penetration in these locations was down to the K+ hard slab under the surface facets.