Vail & Summit County

Snowpack

Anonymous · Jan 22, 2012 · Vail & Summit County

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Weather

17 degrees, light snow, wind gusts up to 40 mph. The area had received between 6-12 inches in a 24 hr period prior to the event. Skies were clearing, and temperatures were rising at the time.

Snowpack

Snowpack was very unstable. about 12 inches of new snow fell in parts of this zone ontop of a weak faceted snowpack. The weak base layer could not support the weight of this new snow. Signs about instability were everywhere. Whoomping, cracking, settling. We also numerous natural slides on similar aspects in this zone.