Front Range
SnowpackJason Konigsberg · Dec 8, 2019 · Front Range
Weather
Not much wind in the area I was in. I would suspect it was quite windy at ridgetop. Snowed off and on throughout the day with periods of S2.
Snowpack
Recreational trip with a little digging. In the area I was in I found a moderately strong snowpack with much stronger basal layers than in any other area I have traveled this winter. The snow depth near treeline was 100 to 125 cm on east and north-facing slopes. Most layers, except for the new snow were one-finger hard or harder. A strong slab, from the big November 26 upslope storm is about 80 cm thick. Depth hoar beneath the slab was a little softer at 1F- The most concerning layers were upper snowpack layers where near surface facets sat above melt-freeze crusts in east aspects. Extended column tests did not show propagation though on any persistent weak layers.---Easy travel on top of the supportable snowpack with ski pen estimated at 4 or 5 inches.--- Take this observation with a grain of salt. I'm not saying the snowpack in the Front Range is strong, as we know it is not, this is just an observation from limited terrain.