Aspen
SnowpackSusan Rhea · Feb 20, 2016 · Aspen
Weather
mostly sunny, light wind
Snowpack
FYI - saw no avalanches, but the storm and wind observations were dramatic. From road (9000') to about 9800', the previous night's snow was evidently rain mixed with sleet. There was a thin sheet of glassy ice. Above that, precip looked mostly gropple - little balls of snowy hail, maybe an inch deep. Between 10,400 and 10,800, maybe three inches of windpacked gropple and snow. Then blown off above treeline. An avalanche pit I dug a couple of weeks ago (5 ft deep) and left open for others to see was obliterated. No evidence it ever existed. Most interesting observation was the abundance of blown down live and dead trees, some green trees over 2 ft in diameter, snapped at 4-10 ft high. Most of the glades were so debris filled, linked turns were impossible. On a low meadow, intact, blown tree bombs were strewn across surface, 150 ft from source trees.