Front Range
AvalancheTara Vessella · Mar 14, 2020 · Front Range
Weather
@11:45am near Emerald Lk. 10,400ft. Sky: CLR, T Air: 3C, T Surf: -2C, Winds: W-SW 4-7mph. Inversion in valley starting at 7,500ft clear/sunny above 8,000ft. 3" new snow in last 24 hrs.
Snowpack
SSE aspect at sheltered upper near tree line location showed 12cm of new snow (4F) on top of numerous firm MF layers in top 100cm of snowpack. Interface 30cm below the surface is a 6cm thick, pencil firm, clustered rounds (1mm). Failure (SP/Q1) occurred below this firm layer in rounding faceted grains. Snowpacks temps throughout top 100cm ranged between -3C to -1C. Observed loose wet activity off/below rock bands at 10:30am on east aspects in the BTL/NTL elevation band.
Avalanche
Observed a skier triggered avalanche at 1:20pm from the Bear Lake parking lot via binoculars. Skier was standing next to the skier's right flank just below the crown in the upper start zone of the Dragonstail Couloir when observed. SE aspects above treeline. Appeared to be new transport that was triggered during the heat of the day. HS-AS-R2D2-O