Alud

Front Range

Amanda LoughlinFront Range
Ver en el mapa
Foto de la observación 1Foto de la observación 2Foto de la observación 3Foto de la observación 4Foto de la observación 5Foto de la observación 6Foto de la observación 7Foto de la observación 8

Weather

Clear skies, moderate southeast wind, mild temperatures.

Snowpack

Below tree line, the height of snow on northeast facing aspects was under a meter and very faceted. Any time I went off the skin track ski penetration was close to the ground. On sheltered east facing aspects near tree line, the height of snow ranged from 30-110cm and a snow pit revealed weak layers without an identifiable slab. As I traveled higher to more exposed terrain near and above tree line, I found a variety of wind effect including a thin wind skin, both fully supportable and breakable wind slabs, and sastrugi. Here the height of snow was between 20-165cm and far more supportive. A snow pit on southeast aspect at 12,000ft depicted a small wind slab over F+ decomposing fragments and a burly K-K+ hard slab that was over 50cm thick. I experienced localized cracking on wind drifted areas near and above tree line, and localized collapsing while skinning through willows near tree line.

Avalanche

I noticed two avalanches in the same area on northeast facing terrain below tree line. One was quite small (less than a D1) and either triggered by wind or the squirrel tracks I saw nearby. The other appeared to an old wind slab avalanche.