Steamboat & Flat Tops

Snowpack

We dug a pit on a NNE aspect, 10,000' elevation, 20 degree slope angle, on 2/9/2013. Located above the N Fork of Fish Creek just W of the continental divide, in the Steamboat Zone. Snow pack depth in this sheltered area was ~65". No evidence of recent wind loading. We performed three isolated column tests. All broke to at the ground on the basal layer. The snow pack was only moderately reactive, taking 2-3 hard taps on the shovel to cause failure. The column was strong snough to be picked up and not fall apart. We did not ski the area, we were only out to poke around a little.