Vail & Summit County
SnowpackDrew Gibson · Dec 2, 2023 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Cold, windy and light snow. The snow paused mid-day. Winds from the west.
Snowpack
Variable depth below treeline on west and north aspects, 20cm to 40cm. Near treeline a bit deeper. 15-20cm (6-8 inches) new snow over unsupportive facets. Above treeline, in wind-exposed areas, new snow was drifting, creating 4 Finger to 1 Finger hard pillows and slabs. Shooting cracks extended up to 20m (65ft) and cracks were down into the old, weak snow. Slab thickness was up to 30cm (~12in) thick. In areas more wind-sheltered, on a little steeper terrain (~28 degrees) had pockets with 20cm of new snow crack up and arrest. The new snow was soft (Fist hard) but the weight of it was too much for the old weak snow to hold up.