Front Range
SnowpackAndrew McWilliams · Feb 17, 2023 · Front Range
Weather
Single-digit temperatures warmed quickly with few clouds and light winds from the southwest.
Snowpack
The snow surfaces in the alpine were heavily wind-affected and there were dense drifts from variable winds in most terrain features that act as a catchment. These slabs were stiff and dense but not impenetrable - ski penetration ranged from less than 5cm up to 10cm. There was soft, recycled powder in sheltered areas. I found no cracking or collapsing on small test slopes, but didn't jump on anything very steep. Snow depths were variable and ranged from 80cm to 180cm where I dug on a north-facing slope above treeline. My snowpit consisted of depth hoar overlain by a slab of alternating layers of rounding facets sandwiching facets and near-surface facets. There was about 30cm of decomposing fragments and wind-crust on the surface. An Extended Column Test yielded non-propagating results on a layer of near-surface facets below the surface slab described above. No results on the November facets near the ground. South-facing slopes were warming quickly, but light winds and a cold morning kept those surfaces cold and dry while I was out. On a southeast aspect, I noticed a melt-freeze crust below the most recent dense wind-drifted snow.