Front Range

Avalanche

Robert Coppolillo · Dec 31, 2017 · Front Range

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Weather

S1 and S2 most of day, 8:30 until 13:00, Light to calm winds, variable direction. Traveled up to max 11,900, overcast skies, temps low 20s.

Snowpack

Varied from 20cm on southerly aspects to 1.65m on north-facing slopes separating 2nd and Current Creeks. Southerly aspects in Current have supportable sun crust under storm snow. Few-to-no basal facets where ground was bare 2.5 weeks ago. Northerly aspects heading into 2nd creek have 2-5mm depth hoar lower 10-30cm, P hard slab in the midpack. Spooky structure overall.

Avalanche

One large, rumbling collapse, 100'x125', NE/E aspect, 11,150', just east of Broome Hut, on 28-degree test slope connected to 38-degree slope above. Rocky terrain, stomped on margin of slab and got energetic, rumbling whumpf, shooting cracks across whole feature. Nothing moved, but impressive collapse!