Sawatch
SnowpackBrian Lazar ยท Nov 20, 2013
Weather
Broken sky in midday to overcast at the end of the afternoon. Warm temperatures, decreasing later in the afternoon. Light snowfall began around 4pm.
Snowpack
HS between 20 to 40 cm depending on the aspect (N, NE, E, SE) and the elevation (10.800-11.000feet). The shallowest snowpack was on SE aspects and the deepest on N aspects. Wind loaded snow mostly in E aspects. The snowpack in E slopes at TL was variable. In one location, the snowpack had 10 cm of depth hoar (3 cm, F) above the ground followed by 5 cm of facets (1.5 to 2 cm, F). A 15cm layer of rounds (1F) formed the slab. 4 cm of new snow from the last storm weren't sintered yet on the surface. We got CT moderate results with SC fracture on the depth hoar. In other locations in the same slope this snow structure was less evident and we got negative results in CT. Changing to north aspects, DH was widespread. A 1F hard slab resting on 3 mm DH. Multiple collapsing events from ridgeline at treeline with slab vertically dropping 1-2cm over the DH. Extent of collapses propagated 5-10 m. SE aspects were sun effected (surface crust and wet snow to the bottom). No sings of instability BTL.