Front Range
SnowpackRyan Zarter · Dec 13, 2025 · Front Range
Weather
A beautiful spring day in December. Skies were FEW, winds moderate out of the west, and temps just below freezing. No wind transport observed.
Snowpack
Snow height ranged from 30-45cm on east-facing slopes below and near treeline. Below treeline, where the aspect trended a bit more southeast, the snow surface was warming, and the surface was getting a little moist. I dug on an east-facing slope near the treeline and found a slab about 30cm thick sitting on top of depth hoar. I had ECTP results from the elbow at this interface. The slab is starting to facet from the top down. This structure was ubiquitous everywhere I probed or dug in the snow today. I experienced one minor collapse below treeline, but otherwise observed no obvious signs of instability. Recent winds have wreaked havoc on the snow in the alpine. Many areas are free of snow. Gullies and more protected areas hold snow. I'd suspect that where there is snow in the alpine, the snowpack structure would be similar to what I saw near treeline, though the slab is likely a bit stiffer.