There’s less snow in the northern Park Range than further south in the range. Driving up CR129 towards Hahns Peak I noticed steeper south facing slopes had discontinuous snow coverage or were nearly devoid of snow. Northerly aspects on Hahns Peak had well under a meter of snow, and unless you know where the rock-free meadows are I would advise not skiing here until we get a solid dump. Extended column tests propagated with moderate taps above the basal facets on north aspects, but the slab above this layer is weak, and may not be cohesive enough to propagate across a slope to cause an avalanche. I did not see propagating results when I conducted an extended column test on an east aspect near the summit ridge with a similarly weak structure but shallower depth.

Hahns Peak

Parked near the Columbine Cabins. Skinned up FS Road 490 to the summer trailhead, followed the two-track road northeast from there, and headed to the summit of Hahns Peak from the northwest.

I saw an old avalanche in the East Bowl that likely occurred near the tail end or shortly after the Thanksgiving week storm.

I found the height of snow on north aspects to be about 70cm, and the slab above the basal facets to be about 40cm and faceting throughout. There is a 3-6cm pencil hard layer towards the bottom of this slab that is perhaps the result of wind during the 11/20-11/23 dry spell. Apart from this, the slab is fist to four finger hard. Two extended column tests in different locations propagated with moderate taps on the basal facets.

Clear skies and mostly calm winds. Temperatures were at or near freezing above 10k. No new snow.