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Observation 1/3/2026 by J Wiech local_see

Snow Obs. Colden

Colden Cooler

Date & Time 1/3/2026 alternate_email 11:30 AM
Location Colden Cooler
Elevation & Aspect 4300 / Northeast
Mode of Travel Skiing/Snowboarding

Observation Details

Variable conditions across the slide. Snow depth ranged from 100cm to 180 cm.

Dug a pit, 110cm depth.

Top 30cm was unconsolidated soft snow, fist hardness.

This sat on top of a ~15cm crust layer, knife hardness.

Then ~35cm of compacted old snow, 1 finger hardness.

Then another frozen crust layer, not as thick as the first, most likely the older rain crust. Below that was more compacted old snow.

During ECT test the top 30cm crumbled without propagation through the first 15 hits. The rest of the column did not move during the test.

At ~3900 feet there was more soft snow on top of the crust from wind loading, this snow was more dense and wind compacted, but not a full slab.

Observation Photos

Snow Profile open_in_new full size

The 2 crust layer are pretty visible here

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