Aspen
AvalancheGreg Shaffran · Feb 11, 2018 · Aspen
Weather
Where we were the winds felt calm, but looking up at the peaks and ridges we could see moderate blowing snow from the West observed over several hours during the afternoon - early evening. The sky cover was generally clear to broken with high-thin cloud cover. Temps were cool (high of 22F at nearby weather station) with approx. 10-16 inches of new storm snow.
Snowpack
Several collapses, and some shooting cracks in the new snow. In many places with probe poling could feel the old surface crust below the new snow, but our ski penetration was limited to that new snow.
Avalanche
Early in the morning observed a natural avalanche on an Eastern facing slope off highlands ridge. Then later remotely triggered the Harris's terrain trap (east facing at 11,300'), and observed another avalanche on another east facing slope at 11,400' further south on the ridge that has now avalanched for its 3rd time this season. There was a solo ski track nearby, and suspect the avalanche was triggered remotely but it could have run naturally.