Front Range

Avalanche

Lucas Mouttet · Jan 6, 2017 · Front Range

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Weather

Temps: started at -22F at 0700, rising to 0F at 1100. Winds: calm at 0700, rising to 20mph at 1100. Brutal wind chills later in morning, lots of snow transport as winds increased. Sky: stayed partly cloudy all morning.

Snowpack

HS: 105cm, HST: 40cm @11,400', NNE aspect Did not get any storm snow instability results in tour tests or hasty pit tests. We did find isolated areas of wind slab existing from 11,000' to 11,500', NNE aspect, with the surface wind slab 2-4" thick, ranging from F to 1F hardness, minimal results in tour tests like hand shears and switchbacking on skin tracks. Wind slabs were growing later in morning as winds increased. Riming at ridgeline (11,500')

Avalanche

Saw one across the valley, on the North shoulder of Nokhu Crags, in a cross-loaded gully at 10,500 feet, NW aspect. Would estimate size as D1 or 2, could not estimate crown height from distance.