Front Range
AvalanchePayton Schiff · Nov 18, 2022 · Front Range
Weather
At 0950 at the summit parking lot (11,317ft), the sky was broken with Trace amounts of snow still falling and the air temp was 10.4 degrees F. Calm northerly winds. Light-moderate wind speeds on the hoop creek ridgeline later in the day
Snowpack
I observed approx 3 in of new snow. Height of snow on an E aspect was 45cm, boot pen was 30cm, and ski pen was 15cm. Surface temp was 13.1 degrees F. Southerly aspects still have extremely low coverage. I observed significant deposits of wind drifted snow heading up the NE face in Hoop Creek on a more directly easterly section of the face. We triggered a whumpf on this specific location (photo included). The main NE face was wind scoured at the top. I also noticed a lack of cohesion on the new and old snow interface but strong bonds within the new snow itself. On the skin up in the trees in Hoop Creek on a NE aspect, the older snow underneath the layer of new snow was falling away but the new snow was holding together and staying in tact oftentimes while the snow underneath fell away (photo included).
Avalanche
None observed other than the whumpf on a low angle, E aspect.