Aspen
AvalancheDylan Craaybeek · Jan 24, 2022 · Aspen
Weather
9F, Calm winds, and Few clouds at 9:00 AM in Ashcroft. Surface hoar observed along the valley floor in the morning. Cloud coverage increased (Broken) around noon and by 3:00 PM winds picked up (Light gusting Moderate from the northwest) and very light precipitation (S-1) began.
Snowpack
Our deep and strong snowpack continues to show no signs of instability and further supports our Low danger. The height of snow throughout the Cathedral Lake drainage was consistently 150-200cm above 10,600 feet. Wind-loaded terrain features were often over 3 meters deep. Northerly aspects near and below the treeline have near surface facets and decomposing fragmented particles making up the top 30cm of the snowpack making for great skiing. East-facing slopes have a variable thin and breakable wind crust near and above the treeline with some thin wind slabs in isolate terrain features above 12,000 feet. Southerly slopes have a variety of thin and breakable crusts to thick and supportable melt-freeze crusts depending on aspect/elevation/shade. West facing slopes above the treeline are stripped bare to the ground in many areas and have thick, supportable wind-hammered hard snow near and above the treeline where they haven't been stripped of all snow. The persistent weak layer that makes up the bottom 20-50cm of the snowpack continues to show signs of rounding and strengthening.
Avalanche
Evidence of small Loose Avalanche activity on steep slopes above the treeline, nothing larger than a D1, barely any large enough to sweep a rider off of their feet.