Front Range
SnowpackAnonymous · Dec 21, 2013 · Front Range
Weather
Mostly cloudly to overcast, ongoing light snow fall, cold, calm to light winds below treeline though stronger at ridgetops.
Snowpack
BTL - Very weak structure consisting predominantly of faceted snow. Recent new snow is very low density, not wind affected thus blanketing slopes evenly which covers up any useful surface clues re sfc/nsfc faceting older wind effects, hiding any possible slab margins. Low probability of slab avalanches due to lack of slab. Observed very few small loose dry on very steep terrain originating from rock and trees. TL - Very variable both in spatial distribution and structure, overall very weak structure consisting predominantly of faceted snow with 1 or 2 pronounced strong-over-weak layering: Persistent Slab is widespread though discontinuous and limited in size (R1D1-R2D2, most likely triggered on any steep (high 30s and up) wind loaded slope. Very few instability signs as snowpack has little energy ("dormant") which will change once there is a rapid and/or enough of a load added on top of it. ATL - Extremely wind affected, wind redistributed snow into leeward and crossloaded terrain features. These hard wind slabs are on top of pronounced depth hoar facets. Some of these slabs are very thick while others are not resulting in widespread Persistent and occasional Deep Persistent Slabs. These are harder to trigger but willing to propagate resulting in medium size slab avalanches (R2D2-R3D3); low likelihood to trigger with high consequences. Very few instability signs as snowpack as snow depth overall is still shallow; this will change once there is a rapid and/or enough of a load added on top of it. >>> This is still a typical early season snowpack that is overall shallow. The snow structure is weak at all elevations and aspects but has little energy - once the slab has grown stiffer (1F/4F or harder) and thicker (30cm or more), the likelihood of skier triggering increases.