Front Range
AvalancheAmanda Loughlin · Jan 29, 2025 · Front Range
Weather
Clear skies, moderate southeast wind, mild temperatures.
Snowpack
Below tree line, the height of snow on northeast facing aspects was under a meter and very faceted. Any time I went off the skin track ski penetration was close to the ground. On sheltered east facing aspects near tree line, the height of snow ranged from 30-110cm and a snow pit revealed weak layers without an identifiable slab. As I traveled higher to more exposed terrain near and above tree line, I found a variety of wind effect including a thin wind skin, both fully supportable and breakable wind slabs, and sastrugi. Here the height of snow was between 20-165cm and far more supportive. A snow pit on southeast aspect at 12,000ft depicted a small wind slab over F+ decomposing fragments and a burly K-K+ hard slab that was over 50cm thick. I experienced localized cracking on wind drifted areas near and above tree line, and localized collapsing while skinning through willows near tree line.
Avalanche
I noticed two avalanches in the same area on northeast facing terrain below tree line. One was quite small (less than a D1) and either triggered by wind or the squirrel tracks I saw nearby. The other appeared to an old wind slab avalanche.