Front Range

Snowpack

Ryan Zarter · Feb 2, 2020 · Vail & Summit County

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Weather

Winds picked up as the day progressed, with moderate to intense wind transport observed later in the afternoon.

Snowpack

Today I travelled on southeast to east to north aspects. Below treeline on southeast aspects the snow surface was becoming moist in open, sunny areas. On the same aspect in shady areas, and all other areas I travelled, the snow surface remained dry. In the Sisters I found a wind affected snow surface. Surface forms in drifted areas conisted of decomposing fragments and near surface facets. In scoured areas the surface was either wind packed rounds or dirt. I dug a snowpit in Sister 1 and found an unreactive snowpack. See snowpit profile for more detail.