Observations – Front Range – Glen Alps

Phil Hess:

Moderate winds transporting a significant amount of the new, low density snow on the Wedge, Powerline Pass, Avalanche Mountain, and back towards Ptarmigan; but minimal pluming on the Ramp/O’Malley ridge.  Good coverage and low angle turns with soft, minimally affected surface snow in the Ship Lake/Powerline and Ship Pass areas.

Signs of instability:

• Many crowns from the past 1-2 days on steep, leeward terrain near peaks.  Appeared 1-2 feet in depth with soft debris.
• Observed natural releases of new wind slab 3 inches in depth in steep, high elevation terrain.
• No settlements or shooting cracks.

Winds diminishing late afternoon as flurries moved in.  Soft and deep sluff in the Avalanche Mountian couloir (Thin White Line), with manageable sluff while skiing.

Facets on the old crust surface at the elevation where it began to soften around 4000 ft in elevation with CT20-22 SP/Q1 results, but not noted at higher elevations.