Front Range

Snowpack

We were up yesterday at the crack of noon and went out the gate. Plan was just to go "check things out". A friend told us he hadn't been out since Xmas, hadn't found probs yet, but said depth hoar has been "growing" in pits they've dug in the area. Eldora has been snowy, cold (very cold) and CALM the last week or so. Unusually so I would say. It's been skiing very nicely. No wind on Frostbite ridge, clear views, beautiful day. My partner could see tracks on Radiobeacon (my old eyes had trouble). We dig a pit on the pillow/rollover between Left and Right Chute. Storm snow and depth hoar. Nothing else - no slab no nothing. 2 tracks in R chute. We cut it at the top, twice, and down we go. Some supportable slab lower down off the Nose (or Clavicle - I never know the name, but its that slope if you cut over underneath L chute) Mainly on the convexity - once you skied into the the lower angle it was soft. There was a small skier release in L chute just below the choke. Apron is covered- we didn't hit anything but stayed skiers left as we usually do.