Front Range
AvalancheJared R · May 1, 2024 · Front Range
Weather
32 degrees f at the Bear Lake trailhead at 0400 on 20240501 with BKN skies and CLM winds. By 0700 NTL/ATL had increasing but variable moderate winds from the S/SW. To the immediate west of the continental divide was a whopper of a spring storm. 0700-0900 ATL experienced periods of snow, Trace-S1. Sun came out in full force at ~0900 and nuked the entire cirque. Entire snowpack along trail on exit back to Bear Lake was saturated.
Snowpack
Superficial freeze on the evening of 4/30-5/01, rendering a weak and generally unsupportable ~4cm MFcr on all aspects observed from Bear Lake trailhead (S-thru-E) to NTL on the Flattop trail. NTL the crust became supportable and was topped with 1-4cm of wind recycled snow, making for nice skinning and skiing in the open bowl immediately ATL on the trail. HS NTL was >125cm on average. Dragontail Couloir: Well bonded wind slabs of 20-30cm in thickness on skier's right at entrance and for the first ~30 meters into the choke. Beyond this, remainder of the couloir held 20-30cm of wind recycled pow. The sun came out in earnest at ~0900 and turned the snow in the couloir from cold recycled pow to hot schmoo in a matter of minutes. By 0930, rollerballs appearing in the couloir and natural loose wets triggering on southerly aspects north of the Incisor, emptying into the lower apron of Dragontail. Overall, good ski quality the whole way, with hot/soft debris filling most of the lower apron.
Avalanche
Observed multiple natural releases of D1-1.5 wet loose avalanches on all aspects around Emerald Lake (S, E, N later). After 1030 it was a steady stream of wet loose activity around the cirque. Be aware of the massive cornice on top of the Incisor entrance's skier's left side. Careful not to park under the runout for the Incisor, especially as the spring continues warming and cornice falls get added onto the menu.