Grand Mesa

Avalanche

Brandon Levy · Dec 14, 2021 · Grand Mesa

Weather

Windy and fairly warm morning on Grand Mesa. Winds were scouring and moving snow on the north side of Grand Mesa below the treeline. Dark overcast skies especially to the South.

Snowpack

I dug in a typically deeper area above the Cliffs Avalanche Area and the snow depth was 100cm. Ski penetration was 10cm and boot penetration was the full 100cm to ground. The profile location collapsed when I stepped out of my skis. The snowpack structure is poor with a slab over weak layer. The weak layer at the profile location was large-grained depth hoar / faceted crystals with possibly some surface hoar at the top of this layer. Long column tests showed propagating results despite the collapse before digging (ECTP19 down 48 cms on DH/FC and PST 25/100 END down 48 cms on DH / FC). In any exposed below treeline location the snow surface was wind effected with tree debris (needles, branches, and boughs) all over the snow surface. Even in sheltered areas there was surface hoar on the snow surface as well but it was laying down.

Avalanche

No new slides observed