I don’t remember these “dust events” during the ’70s and ’80s. Did we have ’em? Anyway, you may notice the pink or reddish hue in our remaining snowpack and it’s Utah desert dust sprinkled liberally across the top of our winter leftovers.
Why does it matter? Well, for starters, it dramatically increases the heat absorption in the snowpack, which speeds melting. Snow disappears more quickly, rivers rise and fall more quickly and our summer dry season starts earlier. This in turns means run off ends sooner and rivers drop more quickly, leaving Utah drier and with more dust ready for transport. A nice little feedback cycle. Long story short, it’s a drag for spring skiing.
The dust also tends to heat up, then freeze, creating a nice bed surface for new snow to slide on–as it’s been doing for the past month here in Colorado. How dust particles act when buried isn’t well understood, but it’s a hot topic for avy researchers.
We skied the north face of Longs Peak last week and lurking just beneath the surface (all the way to the summit!) is this dreaded dust layer. Another few days of intense solar and it’ll be completely revealed and the melt-off will increase.
I haven’t been down to the San Juans this spring, but I’d imagine the layer is worse there. Ouch, if you’re hoping to pick plums on Red Mountain Pass.
Drop me a line if you’ve been up towards Marble or down in Ouray…I’m curious how they’re doing and what’s left to ski.
