Front Range

Snowpack

Ryan Zarter · Dec 22, 2023 · Front Range

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Weather

Scattered clouds, temps hovering around freezing, and eerily calm winds for this zone.

Snowpack

I traveled predominantly on east and southeast aspects below and near treeline. The snowpack was supportable to travel on skis, however in many places boot pen is still to the ground. Hs was around 60cm where I traveled, with typical wind driven variation as I approached treeline. Surface faceting was prevalent on east and southeast aspects, and the sun was warming the snow surface on south aspects below treeline. I dug on a southeast aspect near treeline. The Hs was 60cm, and I found several faceted layers sandwiched between harder layers of rounded grains. A melt-freeze crust is present about 35cm up from the ground. Non-propagating ECT results just below this crust.