Front Range

Avalanche

Alex Dierker and Dani Perrot · Apr 11, 2016 · Front Range

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Weather

Overcast with intermittent graupel between 8 and 11 AM, mostly sunny in the afternoon until 4 PM. Calm below treeline. Pit measurements made at 2:20 PM.

Snowpack

N and NE facing slopes variable between boot-top dry loose snow and breakable crust. Less variable and springlike conditions (corn) on S and SE facing slopes. Pit dug on SE facing slope at 11,040 ft at 2:20 PM. Very wet snowpack, with meltwater percolating to approximately 60 cm from surface. Thick buried MF crust (103-90 cm height) with wet layers above and drier facets below. Conducted shovel tilt test, 2 CTs, and 1 ECT along same pit transect. Shovel tilt test revealed weak interface at top of MF crust (103 cm, 3 taps, Q1). Two consecutive CTs both resulted in CT16@90 cm, Q2 (failure at bottom of MF crust). ECTP16@103 cm (similar result to shovel tilt test).

Avalanche

Cornice collapse evident along Current Creek headwall and Second Creek headwall (likely from previous warm weather spell).