Sawatch
AvalancheBrandon Levy · May 4, 2020 · Aspen
Weather
Spring! More cloud cover than expected with overcast to broken skies and intermittent snow flurries. Wind from the West North West felt brisk and was steady with stronger gusts in the 15 mph range and increasing when I left the pass down in the upper Roaring Fork valley
Snowpack
Poor overnight freeze. Temperatures hovered around freezing for a period this morning but accompanying snowfall and cloud cover were enough to limit the below surface crust to barely form. Foot penetration was 30cms at 11800' this morning at 0900 with localized collapsing of the weak below surface crust from the road to 11800'. The snowpack on a Northeast facing slope at 11800' was isothermal moist to wet throughout. Marked change from last Thursday when the depth hoar was still somewhat dry only 400' higher in elevation. All layers were weaker in hand resistance and the problematic depth hoar layer from 60 to 45 cms that we've been tracking failed suddenly with moderate to hard force in a small column test.
Avalanche
Several loose wet and two recent wet slab avalanches observed on the West side of Independence Pass from the Friday (5/1) to Sunday (5/3) time frame.