Sawatch

Snowpack

Jason Konigsberg · Apr 28, 2019 · Sawatch

Weather

Overcast skies with a few breaks of sun in between snow squalls. At 12,000 feet there was about 2 inches of snow, presumably in the last 24 hours. About 5 inches of dry snow in wind-drifted areas from the last few days. Much less snow at lower elevations.

Snowpack

I traveled from about 10,500 to 12k on east and northeast aspects. The snowpack was supportable to skis in open areas below treeline and everywhere near treeline. Foot penetration near treeline was about 4 inches. Even with the warmish weather the snowpack is recovering well from the recent heat. I dug on a northeast-facing near treeline slopes and found hard re-frozen layers below dry snow with no wet snow layers, just moist. When I descended below treeline at around 4 PM, I could get some small rollerballs going in the inch or two of new snow at low elevations.