Front Range
SnowpackRyan Zarter · Mar 8, 2021 · Front Range
Weather
Partly to mostly cloudy skies with temperatures into the 40's. Gusty SW winds at ridgetop near Montgomery Pass were transporting snow in localized areas.
Snowpack
The start zones of the larger, westerly aspect paths are blown out and clear of snow. Though the tracks of these paths still hold a significant amount of snow, it seems unlikely for avalanches to the road from these paths in their current state. Mid-sized, southerly asepct paths still hold snow, but are melting out near the bottom. Avalanches to the road are currently unlikely in these paths. Many of the south facing banks are clear of snow, and rockfall/mudslides are the current problem in these areas. The east face of South Diamond Peak still holds a significant snowpack, though again it seems avalanches to the road would be unlikely from this path in it's current state. I traveled on east to northeast aspects below and near treeline. In the trees below about 10500' the snow surface was moist regardless of aspect. Above this elevation winds and cloud cover were keeping the snow surface cold and dry, though east aspects had a melt-freeze crust. Northeast aspects near treeline remained cold and showed no signs of previous warming.