Front Range
AvalancheRyan Lewthwaite · Mar 13, 2020 · Front Range
Weather
Mostly cloudy skies and 29.8F degrees. Southwest winds were moving snow near ridgelines. New snow 1cm.
Snowpack
Below treeline the surface snow was dust on a firm melt-freeze crust. The 1cm of new snow has been blown into soft deposits on lee aspects and features. Localized cracking in the wind deposits was observed. During periods of sun the surface snow up to 7cm deep was moist and melting. A solid melt-freeze crust kept you supported while traveling and was barely breakable where thinner. 20cm deep there is a concerning melt-freeze crust that is acting as a bed surface in stability tests with moderate force. ECTP31 showed some propagation potential with very hard force at this location(called it ECTX). Facets are rounding below 103cm in the snowpack due to springtime warming. 64cm of depth hoar at the base of the pack.
Avalanche
NO new avalanches to report.