Sawatch
SnowpackIan Hoyer Jason Konigsberg · Mar 2, 2016 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Snowing, gusty winds, and obscured skies in the morning. Snowfall tapered off and skies cleared throughout the day. Just a few clouds in a mostly blue sky by 4 pm. Snow blowing and pluming off ridgelines all day.
Snowpack
Snowpack was supportable to skis and feet on all aspects near and below treeline. An inch or two of new snow sat on top of firm crusts on sunny slopes. No surface crust observed on north aspects near treeline. Snow depth between 150 and 200 cm near treeline on shady slopes. A very solid and rounding slab sat above depth hoar, no notable results in snowpack tests. We also dug on a south aspect near treeline. Water had clearly run through the whole pack. The upper pack was a series of very stout crusts, the lower snowpack was still damp. Once it refreezes all the way to the ground it will be locked up tight.