Front Range

Avalanche

Robert V. Coppolillo · Dec 11, 2016 · Front Range

Weather

Relatively mild, low 20s, moderate W/SW wind, with estimated S1 precip most of day (hard to determine actual precip rate with wind).

Snowpack

Great week for coverage. Trails in way better shape and better coverage in general than one week ago. 20cm to 1m throughout the drainage. Easy travel on regular trails, but still bony/some risk right off trails in places. Open meadows and rock outcrops wind affected down to Bear Lake level (9500ft). Blown in (F/4F) in more sheltered locations. Bottom of Dream Chutes, for example, were nearly bare one week ago, now F down to 4F at talus/ground now, 1m depth, no depth hoar at base (couldn't trigger them). Very touchy and soft (F, 4F) wind pillows in drifted areas (winter trail between Nymph and Dream), S- and E-facing slopes, shooting cracks (see pics), obvious whumps/collapse, low rumbles audible but not enough to shake trees. Numerous whumpfs below treeline on S-, SE-, E-facing slopes. 75-foot shooting crack, audible whumpf on 30-degree mini-slope (S-facing) beside winter trail between Nymph and Dream.

Avalanche

Stepping just up and off the summer trail connecting Dream and Nymph Lakes (E-facing section, 9800 feet), audible whumpf, shooting crack propagated uphill, pulled a 60cm slab off a rock, then continued to propagate uphill (80ft total distance) and pulled out a small soft slab which traveled downhill, overran the trail--traveled approx 60 feet horizontal distance, D1.