Front Range
SnowpackMichael Wallace · Mar 9, 2023 · Front Range
Weather
2-3" of new snow on the ground just above treeline. Winds were hammering at ridgetops and mixing well down into the valley. Large plumes of snow visible coming out of the trees at mid elevations and along all ridgelines. Temps chilly in the mid-teens. Sky clear to few with increasing clouds in the afternoon.
Snowpack
Snowpack was showing signs of wind affect as a wind skin was forming in the 2-3" of new snow that fell over the previous night. Quick ECT revealed 3 layers in the upper 45 cm of the snowpack. None propagated but the lowest one at 45 cm from the surface popped as I pulled fairly hard on the block with a shovel after the 33 or so tap. The ECT block fell at my feet with a clean interface between it and the lower layer. A thin layer of NSF was sandwiched betweeen the two layers. See pit profile.