Aspen
AvalancheDylan Craaybeek, Morgan Boyles · Dec 2, 2022 · Aspen
Weather
Relatively warm morning (28F) with Light snow at the Ashcroft trailhead around 10:00 cooling throughout the day to 20F at the trailhead by 14:00. On and off Light(S1) to Moderate(S2) snowfall with a few periods of Heavy(S5) snowfall. Steady Light winds with Moderate gusts along the ridgeline and Light snow transport.
Snowpack
Very unstable snow conditions with widespread cracking and collapsing with every step into untouched snow below the treeline travelling well over 20 meters in front of skis. About six inches of new snow fell throughout the day with an average density around 85kg/m^3. Near the treeline there was less obvious shooting cracks and collapsing but they were still existent. The overlying slab ranged from an average of 30cm thick on most northerly slopes to twice that on wind-loaded, easterly terrain features. The persistent weak layer remains the old snow surface prior to November 26 of well-developed facets with large chains of depth hoar making up the bottom of the snowpack. The Nov.26 facet layer remains the layer of failure for shooting cracks and avalanches. Below the treeline the slab is about 4F hard on the hand hardness scale while it is a bit softer near the treeline (4F- on the hand hardness scale) likely due to warmer temperatures causing more rapid settlement of the slab below the treeline.
Avalanche
Triggered widespread shooting cracks on a steep slope that did not slide then triggered an avalanche remotely on that same slope 30 minutes later while beginning the descent.