Front Range
AvalancheSam Ridley · Jan 18, 2023
Weather
Light snow (S-1 to S1) and overcast all day. Moderate NW wind turning to strong NW wind around 1200’ at the ridgeline connecting hidden and hanging valleys, with moderate snow transport to S to SE aspects above and near treeline.
Snowpack
12 cm new snow at Hidden Valley parking lot at 9am, 9,300’ Valley Bottom. 24cm new snow at treeline on N facing aspect at 2pm, 11,100’ at Hanging Valley (with wind loading). North facing below treeline (10,300’) tests on trail ridge road were stubborn to trigger (ECTP25, ECTP29) but did fail at the top of depth hoar 27cm from the ground in a 130cm pit. A north north east facing treeline pit (11,100’ with active wind loading) did not initiate or propagate a fracture (ECTX) and was 173cm deep.
Avalanche
Small test slopes above and near treeline with active wind loading had shooting cracks and the wind slabs on them were easy to trigger.