Front Range

Avalanche

Robert Coppolillo · Apr 14, 2019 · Front Range

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Weather

Sustained SW/W/NW winds, Mod-Strong, Intense blosno from the Divide. High clouds created bit of a greenhouse effect, keeping temps reasonable. Swirling winds in basin adjacent/below Hidden Knoll.

Snowpack

Approx 30cm of HST developing a thin wind-skin during the day, warming significantly, too. Approx 5cm MFcr down 30cm, with facets beneath. Quick pits along route and up to Hidden Knoll showed stubborn shears on MFcr. One CTH SC down 35cm on facets below crust (performed NE aspect just below Hidden Knoll; HS 235cm, 18-degree slope in sparse trees).

Avalanche

One sz 1 observed on east aspect on Hidden Knoll, looked like cornice collapse w/maybe a small slab, but wind had filled in any crown, prob went last night/early morn, chunky debris ran 150ft downslope, piled up before flat terrain. Debris still visible at 14:00, but getting covered steadily by blowing snow. One sz 2 reported from other group on our AIARE 1 in "Moonlight Basin," mid-slope. No media or eyes on for that one.