2008-2009 Colorado Snowpack Observations

[FrankZappa]

Just for something to look at for the next 4 months while we wait for it to start looking like this again.
I call it "One more time for the world" (sometimes part of an on going series)

[montanaskier]

so this massive warm weather has been nuts this week. While driving to Winter Park today I saw small crown right before the tunnel on the right hand side of the road. Right past the top of Berthoud, again on the right hand side was a sizeable crown. I would say 5-10ft deep and 30 feet across or so. These warm temps are allowing things to step down it looks like.

[smitchell333]

Anyone tell me if things were freezing up/remaining solid today.

[pechelman]

how much snow is left on vail pass?

enough for a meadow skippy corn harvest with the lady on saturday?

[smitchell333]

Too low, go to Loveland pass, Indy pass, Trailridge or somewhere up high.

[montanaskier]

what he said^^^^. Would be possible to hit Uneva up high or the backside, but Indy opens tomorrow and should be much better.

[pechelman]

yea the plan was to skin up the burn, gain the ridge, and assess what we want to ski (with uneva and those other peaks being the prime objectives)

indy's & trail ridge are both kinda far for what we have planned and it may not happen anyway

thanks for the info though

[montanaskier]

kinda patchy coverage, but I suspect you could make it. Take pics

[FrankZappa]

The End.

[ColoradoFuknRulz]

Oh man if we get anywhere near the snow we got last year its gonna be awesome! I remember at least 10 chest deep days and about 40 knee deep days and every other time I went out it was boot deep ! Having those high speed quads all to myself and skiing uncut at 2:30 top to bottom every day sure doesnt get boring. Where else can you do what we do?

Ski powder every day, every day uncut,uncrowded. I hit Winter Park mostly because it snows the most there as far as close to Denver goes. The sidecountry was bomber snowpack all season. Mushroom patch to hwy 40 to the bus, oh man it was the deepest in years! End off the day with hells half/mines1-2 to seven mile and talk about long runs. and long days. Ski your ass off at Winter Park/Berthoud,best snow in the front range!

[Avmapper]

Should we start a new thread for this season?????

[pechelman]

yes

we did last year

[Rontele]

I just changed the title of this thread to keep it current for this year. Although telemike moved California and can't get his panties in a wad like he did last season, keep this thread for avy observations only. A thread exists in the Snow Conditions and Weather Forum.

[spankthepow]

I was up at Jones pass saturday. Our group dug pits on 2 different slopes. Slope 1 was NE facing with ~30 degree pitch. Slope 2 was about 75 yards N. of slope 1. It was more east facing than slope 1, but slightly steeper. Westerly winds the past week had windloaded the eastern aspects of Jones pass. Slope 2's pit revealed evidence of windloading and a weak layer about 20cm deep. However, after doing a compression test which failed at the 4th shoulder drop (+some muscle), we deemed the slope stable to ride on. Slope 1 however was different. After skinning up slope 2, and traversing over to slope 1, another pit was dug. This pit yielded different results. Not only was it windloaded, but a slab was also detected underneath. Compression test was a failure, as the block broke at 1 tap. We turned back and descended on slope 2. Appox. 30 min later, slednecks showed up and started doing their thing. we were in the process of skinning back up slope 2 to do another lap and could not warn the slednecks of what we found out about slope 1. Sledneck 1 (who had avy gear+ and abs pack) hauled ass up slope 1, to the summit. It fractured, but did not slide. A guy in our group had earlier traversed the ridge in an attempt to warn the slednecks about the danger. But they did not understand the signals he was giving them about not coming up. Sledneck 1's friend (who didn't know what his friend had just done) hauled ass up slope 1, after it had already fractured. Again, it did not slide. If the slope had been steeper however, it might have been a different story. They also did not take the time to examine the snowpack, as we never saw them turn off their sleds and check it out.

[smitchell333]

Loveland Pass area

Thin, blasted by the winds so there are drifted areas of 1-3' and many areas with nothing at all.

Found good snow on wind sheltered SE facing terrain where deep the basal layers were firmer, possibly due to warm temps and sun. Ski cuts provided no whoompfing, cracking or movement.

Did see depth hoar development especially among willows.

[bendoris]

get anything you want
http://www.in-brands.com/showsort.asp?sort_id=558

[coloskier]

Slide yesterday on an east aspect just south of Loveland Pass. I assume this area has a name, I just don't know it. Picture was taken today. Alpine Rescue is visible on the debris doing some practicing.

[freejustin]

Slide yesterday on an east aspect just south of Loveland Pass. I assume this area has a name, I just don't know it. Picture was taken today. Alpine Rescue is visible on the debris doing some practicing.

Cross posted from teletips... I was with Alpine up there today...

I did a quick fx line inspection/profile on this slide today. This was on the skier's left crown face in the lower break. See if you can make out my profile (hope it makes sense)...

-- Surface --
20cm slab 4F
--
2cm Fist
--
20cm slab 1F
--
3cm facets
-- *Avalanche broke at this interface* --
2cm crust P (bed surface)
--
5cm facets
-- Ground --

Compression test = CT0 Q1 Shot out while cutting the back
ECT 4

There are definite tender pockets in our limited coverage right now. Watch out for booby traps! Otherwise, pray for snow...

[freejustin]

Slide yesterday on an east aspect just south of Loveland Pass. I assume this area has a name, I just don't know it. Picture was taken today. Alpine Rescue is visible on the debris doing some practicing.

Oh, and FYI, I think this is called Kitchen Wall...

[marshalolson]

nice freejustin. yes, its the kitchen wall.

you prolly saw vicious and i ski the 2nd furthest lookers right chute as you were hiking over.

the sheltered areas such as more defined chutes saw a more consolidated predictable pack than the open cross loaded faces for sure (duh...)

[freejustin]

nice freejustin. yes, its the kitchen wall.

you prolly saw vicious and i ski the 2nd furthest lookers right chute as you were hiking over.

the sheltered areas such as more defined chutes saw a more consolidated predictable pack than the open cross loaded faces for sure (duh...)

Oh, cool! Yeah, looks like you had some sweet turns in between the rocks. That was nice snow. Did you guys ski off of Loveland ridge to the north? I'm curious what that was like over there, and if it was as tender as Kitchen Wall...

[Sir Jongalot]

Quiz: Who is the biggest Jong?

I. The skiers who triggered this slide.

II. Marshal for skiing a nearly identical line AFTER this one slid. Or did he trigger this one too?

you prolly saw vicious and i ski the 2nd furthest lookers right chute as you were hiking over.

the sheltered areas such as more defined chutes saw a more consolidated predictable pack than the open cross loaded faces for sure (duh...)

III. Coloskier for hiking under the hangfire with multiple others in order to dig a pit. (I count 9 in the picturer, all in the slide path - probably more on the flats). Oh and for not even telling us the Aspect and Elevation.

I did a quick fx line inspection/profile on this slide today. This was on the skier's left crown face in the lower break. See if you can make out my profile (hope it makes sense)...

-- Surface --
20cm slab 4F
--
2cm Fist
--
20cm slab 1F
--
3cm facets
-- *Avalanche broke at this interface* --
2cm crust P (bed surface)
--
5cm facets
-- Ground --

Compression test = CT0 Q1 Shot out while cutting the back
ECT 4

There are definite tender pockets in our limited coverage right now. Watch out for booby traps! Otherwise, pray for snow...

IV. Sir Jongy for cowering in his house and not getting out at all.

[couloirman]

IV. Sir Jongy for cowering in his house and not getting out at all.

yep, definitely you.

[concretejungle]

Skied near Jones Pass on Sunday. Thin wind crust on top and the snow depth was variable from a couple inches to 2 feet or so just a foot or so away, in a word variable. I was with my dog so I stayed on lower angle stuff but didn't get anything to move with ski cuts. It was warm but the only snow that was affected was lower down. Didn't hit any rocks but was moving slowly and cautiously. It was kind of windy but no significant snow was moving with the wind.

[freejustin]

Oh and for not even telling us the Aspect and Elevation.

That was my jongitude for failing to mention for those that don't know... Kitchen Wall is on an East aspect, I think around 12,200 or so. It's above the lake on the south side of Loveland pass.