Aspen
AvalancheBrian Lazar · Jan 13, 2017 · Aspen
Weather
Obscured skies all morning, snowing S-1 to S1, SW winds mostly light with a few breezy locations at ridgeline
Snowpack
Around 8 inches new last 24 hours. Snow stake at just over 9600 ft, currently reading 7 ft 8 inches...almost buried. Looks like around 8 ft of storm snow since Jan 1. The second pulse around Jan 9 dropped around 4 ft of this storm snow which is now settled to around 2 feet deep. We were able to trigger very small (2- 3 feet across) Wind Slab avalanches breaking around 6 inches deep. We could only do this right at ridgeline in the windiest locations on Marble Peak. Small avalanche on NW face of Mt Justice. The suspect crusts on southerly slopes is buried around 6 feet deep and not easily observable without a lot of digging. Lots of large cornices developed. Some calved off already, the others are suspect.
Avalanche
Some recent debris in the NW ace of Mt Justice. Looks like triggered or accompanied by some cornice failures. Did experience some localized collapsing on wind-loaded slopes on N ridge of Justice. Collapse around 20cm down.