Front Range
AvalancheAustin DiVesta Andrew McWilliams · Nov 6, 2022 · Front Range
Weather
Light snow flurry's at the parking lot around 10:00am with mostly cloudy skies. The winds blew out of the west all day in any exposed terrain, but remained calm below treeline. No new snow accumulation.
Snowpack
Below treeline we found approximately 15-30cm of fresh snow on the ground that was not wind-effected. The snowpack lacked any structure, and without skis on, you sank to the ground. While moving towards treeline, we found a similar snowpack with a bit more structure that included a layer of late October snow, mainly in areas where the snow drifts. We found easy Extended Column Test results (ECTP3 & 6) down 14cm from the surface with a snow height of 33cm. Areas Near and Above Treeline varied significantly with how much consistent snow the terrain holds. You will find cross-loaded gullies with the most snow and most structure. We found an area with more wind-effected snow and a snow height of 57cm. An Extend Column Test produced moderate test results (ECTP15) but a denser-thicker slab resting on top of weak-faceted snow near the ground. This poor snowpack structure is what you would expect to find in any cross-loaded gully that is harboring deeper snow.
Avalanche
We saw two avalanches on steep northeast and east-facing terrain today. One was previously reported here https://classic.avalanche.state.co.us/caic/obs/obs_report.php?obs_id=72076