Steamboat & Flat Tops
AvalancheCody M. Perry ยท Dec 22, 2014
Weather
Obscured skies with low visibility and blowing snow/graupel. Precipitation about 2cm an hour but hard to tell due to high/moderate winds out of the NW. Weather observed today from an East/West trending ridge at 9200ft.
Snowpack
Quick observations of the snowpack on tour showed an average snow depth of 55cm at 8000ft. It was difficult to determine how much new storm snow has fallen in the Hahns Peak Area due to wind. New storm snow is fairly dense and cohesive. The buried crust is around 15cm below the snow surface near treeline. However the snowpack is highly variable in composition around the terrain. Exposed slopes and ridgelines showed wind scouring and deposition building big slabs and rolls. No collapsing heard on trail with moderate shooting cracks on denser wind effect. Observations taken between 8000-9200ft from low angle approach up an East/West ridge.
Avalanche
None seen.