Vail & Summit County

Snowpack

Jeremy Primmer · Jan 29, 2022 · Vail & Summit County

View on map

Weather

Clear skies with some light loading on easterlies near treeline, the snow surface was moist around 11am on southerlies.

Snowpack

I found less faceted surface conditions than other location in the Vail and Summit zone. The snow surface was too wind effected for any loose dry concerns and even on sheltered north-facing slopes. At the tops of ridges near treeline on south and east facing slopes I found wind slabs sandwiching softer snow that is just starting to facet. Lower down the slopes the snowpack becomes more faceted and I found a layer of buried 4 finger hard 0.5 mm near surface facets that I'm guessing the recent avalanche failed on on a southeast facing slope near treeline. The avalanche failed midslope and the crown wrapped around some trees and back up hill. Midslope seemed to be the sweetspot with with recent loading providing a slab and the old snow weaker than at the ridgeline.