Front Range
SnowpackIan Fowler · Dec 5, 2025 · Front Range
Weather
It was moderate winds (calm for the Front Range) from the northwest. It was snowing S2 most of the day and there was already 10 to 15 cm Height of Storm.
Snowpack
Below the treeline, there is about 30cm of snow in wind-sheltered areas. In most cases, this snow is fist hard precipitation particles from recent snow. In areas where more wind drifted, there was a firm surface slab, and most wind-drifted areas were collapsing as I traveled over them. Near and above treeline the snow depth ranged from about 0cm to 40cm with drifts multiple feet deep. On a northeast aspect I found a very reactive wind slab that was cracking and failing on isolation in Extended Column Tests. In this location there was a thin layer of basal facets but ECT scores on this layer were high with the slab generally breaking and not fully propagating. On an east aspect above treeline I found a deeper drifted snow pack 80-100cm deep. In this location the same wind slab structure was present but the snow rested on a frozen layer at the ground and there were no basal facets present.