Sawatch

Snowpack

Rob Coppolillo · Feb 11, 2012 · Sawatch

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Weather

Overcast skies, no wind. Above freezing temps in parking lot, but no exact temperature recorded. Intense solar input earlier in day (1030a.m.), but increasing clouds as day continued (3:30 p.m.).

Snowpack

Generally shallow, 60-80cm over most SE/S/SW/W aspects. 20cm 6mm depth hoar, with knife-hard crust at 20cm, then 1F/4F midpack to approximately 60cm, with approx 10cm storm snow settling well atop that. Our quick pit had a 65-70cm depth, from one wall to the other. 100ft shooting cracks, with moderately loud collapses/whumpfs. Couldn't travel without collapsing S/SW/W aspects in meadow adjacent to road.