Sawatch
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · May 18, 2016 · Front Range
Weather
Mostly clear skies in the area of the Mosquito Range that I was in. Thick cloud in almost every other direction. Winds were mostly calm at even the highest elevations. There was a slight upslope breeze on southerly slopes. Temperatures felt very warm especially in sheltered north-facing basins. Freezing level estimated at about 13k ft.
Snowpack
The snowpack has locked up again and general conditions are a few inches of new snow over a firm crust. New snow from the past few days of unsettled weather has not amounted to much. Northerly slopes are holding 3 to 6 inches of new snow on top of a very firm crust. The new snow is not cohesive or slabby and is bonded moderately well to the old surface. On southeast, and south slopes there are small pockets of wind-deposited snow up to 10 inches deep that crack under skis but are too small in area to be a problem. In general these slopes are a patchwork of small wind deposits and exposed old melt-freeze crusts.---Obs are from near to above treeline elevations. Below treeline is melting out quickly and what is left is not freezing well. In general, not worth recreating below treeline.
Avalanche
Very little avalanche activity noted. A few small rollerballs out of rocky terrain. Small Loose Wet avalanches noted off the east side of Mt. Bross.