Front Range
SnowpackJackson Emry · Dec 5, 2023 · Front Range
Weather
It was a clear day with blue skies, minimal to moderate wind, and a temperature around freezing.
Snowpack
Near tree line, we had a snow depth between 75 and 90cm with boot penetration to ground. Ski penetration was dependent on a wind crust layer; when the crust wasn't present, ski pen was almost to the ground as well. Below tree line there was 40-50cm of snow. After experiencing many shooting cracks and wumphs that dropped the snowpack an inch (as visible by the snow rings around trees) I decided to dig a pit. Upon performing an ECT, it broke very easily and collapsed within the large basal facets. The slab dropped about an inch but did not slide out. All other layers were well bonded. Conditions were very sensitive, and I took extra care to avoid avalanche terrain for the rest of the tour.