Sawatch

Snowpack

Jason Konigsberg · Feb 5, 2020 · Sawatch

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Weather

Cold with breezy winds and light snow transport. Visibility limited by low-level clouds.

Snowpack

Quick rec trip up west and southwesterly slopes, mostly below treeline. The snowpack is generally thin, less than a meter deep, and faceted top to bottom. In many areas skiing downhill was unsupportable. Somewhat supportable on more southerly slopes where there was breakable crust. A few inches of low-density snow sits on top of the crust. Surface conditions are prime for storm slab avalanches with the incoming load.