Front Range

Avalanche

Seth Beers · Jan 24, 2016 · Front Range

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Weather

Parking lot @ 10600, SE aspect Clear, Calm, No Precip 32F @ 1130 40F @ 200

Snowpack

- Ski Pen, 0 - 15cm during tour - Test Pit @ 11800' on SE aspect of Mt. Trelease (See pit profile attached) on wind-loaded feature. HS of 200cm - 60cm of various wind slab layers that were well consolidated and trends in hardness from 4F - P. This sits above the buried 4F Surface Facet layer from the early Jan dry period. - CTH, Q1SC on the interaction between these layers. Deeper instabilities exist as well but this would be my main concern in decision-making. - Substantial variability in snowpack depth observed as probing saw HS vary from 70cm - 200cm+ as I traversed from S - E at this elevation. - Wet snow seen on all aspects toured below ~11200', will leave healthy MFCR and further consolidate wind slab above surface facet layer. - Would classify this as "Scary" moderate due to the variability in the slab depth + surface facet interface and reduction in avalanche activity

Avalanche

No recent avalanche activity observed. Small (guessing D1.5), old (4 - 6 days) wind-slab off of rocks below SE slope of pt. 12304. ~30' wide and ran ~100'. Crown and debris were largely filled in from wind.