Front Range
AvalancheRyan Lewthwaite · Nov 25, 2019 · Front Range
Weather
Increasingly overcast clouds as front approaches from the north. Winds were light but gaining some intensity as we left the field. Saw a few snow flakes as we left Berthoud Pass area. Cooling temperatures with 28F.
Snowpack
We dug a snowpit on a northwest aspect, near treeline, in a wind protected area above Hwy 40. With cold overnight temperatures surface hoar had developed up to 4mm in size on the top of the snowpack. The recent precipitation had gained some strength but was still of 4F hardness. 42cm up from the ground, about mid-snowpack, a 2cm layer of Fist hard facets. This persistent layer was reactive in stability tests with light to moderate force. The soft slab, has the ability to propagate cracks. The lower snowpack had more facets, a notable melt-freeze crust, and smaller depth hoar at its base. See snowpit for more details.
Avalanche
Observed evidence of a previous soft slab avalanche in the Stanley path. It was not easy to see from our vantage but it looked to have a one foot crown depth that spanned over 100 feet horizontally. The avalanche crown was below the ridgeline and propagated between two foundations for remote avalanche mitigation systems. We could not observe the debris. On adjacent east facing slopes, that had previously wind drifted snow, there was evidence of several loose dry avalanches. These avalanches were small in stature and had recently wind deposited snow on them. They did not run full path and only entrained the most recent snow.