Front Range
SnowpackAmanda Loughlin · Mar 30, 2024 · Front Range
Weather
Temps in the 30s with broken skies, no precipitation, moderate to strong southwest winds with moderate snow transport.
Snowpack
I observed rapidly warming precipitation particles below treeline. As I ascended near treeline, the warming continued on southeast aspects and also showed wind effect. Several hand shear tests on southeast aspects near treeline revealed multiple melt freeze crusts (MFcr) sandwiching faceted snow. I found sastrugi on north through east aspects near and above treeline. Height of snow (HS) on northeast aspect near treeline ranged from 1-260cm. The first snow pit dug a meter down on this aspect revealed wind transported and new snow over a K hard wind slab, rounding facets, 1mm facets, more rounding facets, and P to K hard slabs. An extended column test (ECT) produced ECTX and a compression test (CT) produced CTV @↓ 33cm down (SC) on the interface between rounding facets and facets. On north northeast aspects near treeline HS ranged from 30-71cm. The second snow pit dug on this aspect revealed a 1F wind slab over facets, P-K hard slabs, facets and depth hoar, and basal K hard melt forms. This snowpack produced ECTX. I found HS on north aspects near treeline 5-60cm and experienced the most intense snow transport here during my day. A quick pit dug here revealed a 3cm wind slab over decomposing and fragmented snow, rounding facets, K hard slab, 4F facets and a K hard basal layer. I experienced minor localized cracking on wind slabs near treeline and only observed wet loose avalanches on steep east face.