Front Range
AvalancheRyan Zarter · Mar 16, 2025 · Front Range
Weather
BKN skies with temps around 20f. Moderate to strong SW winds were moving blowing snow around in the alpine and at ridge top. Less transport near treeline. CDOT crew reported about 12" in the last 24hrs.
Snowpack
I probed around on a north-facing slope near treeline and found a snow height that varied from 1.5m to over 2m. Where I dug the Hs was a little over 180cm. I found several alternating layers of decomposing grains and/or facets between hard, wind-packed layers. Below this was a thick, 1F-P hard layer of rounded grains. I did not dig down below about 70cm above the ground--whatever basal facets there are reside below this depth. No evidence of a reactive weak layer/slab combo with ECTs. I saw some minor cracking in my travels on drifted features but otherwise no signs of instability. On southeast-facing features I found a melt-freeze crust under our most recent storm snow. Immediately below this crust I found facets and decomposing grains.
Avalanche
I saw two very small (less than D1) cornice failures along the top of South Diamond Peak.