Front Range
SnowpackMike Cooperstein · Dec 29, 2024 · Front Range
Weather
Overcast with light snow throughout the day. Calm winds below treeline. Strong winds from the southwest near and above treeline.
Snowpack
In below treeline areas, the snowpack is mostly composed of faceted grains on all aspects. Recent snow is starting to build a cohesive slab, especially in open areas that are exposed to the wind, but at the moment, the slab isn't thick enough to propagate a fracture. The near treeline elevation band is by far the most dangerous area because there is a cohesive slab resting on very weak faceted grains formed in early December. On southeast-facing aspects, there is also a melt-freeze crust sandwiched between 2 layers of weak faceted grains. Strong southwesterly winds have drifted a lot of snow into the near treeline elevation band. Drifted areas were 250 centimeters, but it was easy to find other spots that were only 30 - 50 centimeters thick and completely composed of faceted crystals. Above treeline areas are very wind-hammered. Slopes are either stripped back to the bare ground, are impenetrable wind-packed snow, or are facets sitting on the rocks. This is not atypical for this area in December.