Front Range

Snowpack

Morning activity was building snow piles for afternoon snow cave construction by digging into and excavating from inside of pile. Top snow layer at site was hard in AM but softened quickly. Ice layer at about 8-10 inches down. Below ice layer snow was multiple layers of rounded granular snow (up to 1/4" in diameter) separated by thin harder layers. Hard layers difficult to break up with shovels. Total depth at site was about 36-42 inches. Experienced snow cavers thought snow was good for stable cave. Pile was 12-14 feet in diameter at bottom; about 7 feet tall. In PM the snow was being dug from inside of pile was very wet. Some sloughing of snow down outside of pile. About 50-60 percent of snow inside of cave was removed when top 1/3 of structure collapsed. Four male youths and one adult digging inside of cave at time of collapse. Several others present and observing or working on other caves. Adult able to stand up with legs buried but immobilized from weight of snow. Three youths buried completely, one partially. Digging out of four youths accomplished within 1-2 minutes. All conscious and alert, no injuries except facial abrasions on one, possibly from ice chunks entrained in snow; chest bruising on another from chest being forced into knees. Decision made to not sleep in other caves.