Front Range
SnowpackAmanda Loughlin · Dec 29, 2024 · Front Range
Weather
Warm, humid, light to moderate wind and gusts, broken to overcast skies with periods of sun.
Snowpack
The height of snow below treeline ranged from 30-60cm skinning up the road. As I entered the main bowl on east aspects below treeline, the height of snow varied from 30-145cm with southeast aspects showing greater signs of loading. Near treeline, things really got interesting. Strong evidence of wind effect was everywhere, and the height of snow here varied from 3-255cm. I experienced minor cracking on new snow when skinning off the skin track, with only one small drift propagating on southwest aspect below treeline. Hand shears on north and east aspects below treeline both depicted a newly forming slab over weak snow. I dug a pit on an east aspect at 10,710 feet and found new slabs sitting on melt freeze crust/ facet combinations. This structure was reactive to extended column tests, with propagation occurring on facet layers sandwiched between decomposing melt freeze crusts. I was supported by the slabs while skinning with ski penetration of 15cm, but when my skis came off, I immediately sank down to my hips. When I skied out in the afternoon, the southeast aspects had a thin surface crust forming potentially from the sun.