Front Range
SnowpackJake Gaventa · Feb 12, 2013 · Front Range
Weather
Clear, cold, and sunny. Calm to light winds from the West. High temperatures near 20F.
Snowpack
30-50 cm cohesive new snow slab sitting on top of various sizes of facets to depth hoar. Avalanche initially involved new/old snow interface (eroding melt/freeze crust turning to facets) but then stepped down in depth hoar another 20-30 cm. No Cracking or collapsing was noted before avalanche, but later in the tour significant cracking and collapsing occurred on West, Northerlies, and East aspects, below, at, and above treeline. A natural (D1.5 R1) was observed on a NW aspect around 10,500 ft in the morning on our approach. By late afternoon many small naturals were observed on West, North, and East aspects, near treeline. Mostly around D1-1.5 and R1-R2.