Front Range

Avalanche

Tara Vessella · Dec 11, 2019 · Front Range

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Weather

~Noon @ 11,210ft. Temp: 29F Winds: SSW 5-8mph. About 1 hr later winds at 11,800ft increased to 15-20mph with gusts 25-30. Visible snow transport began at this time.

Snowpack

Elevations above 11,500ft have seen strong winds over the last 2 days. Some areas bulging with a new snow load and others stripped to the ground. Surface snow varied between hard and soft reactive wind slabs of varying depths and sounds. Recent winds have loaded N-E-S aspects ATL and some leeward aspects NTL. The deepest HS is in the NTL elevations.

Avalanche

2 observed. N-HS-R2D3 in the saddle between Mt Chapin and Chiquita Pk within the last 24 hrs. Start zone just below and including the cornice at 12,000ft. ESE aspect. Track ran almost to tree line N-HS-R2D2 on a NE aspect lookers left of the Hot Spot climbing area (above Sundance Creek). Leeward aspect with debris down to the basin bottom and crown was mostly filled in with new transport. Likely happened in last 24-48hrs.