Aspen

Avalanche

Brian Lazar, blase reardon · Jan 2, 2017 · Aspen

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Weather

Obscured with periods of strong southwesterly winds. Snowing all day S-1 to S2, with much coming in short burst of graupel. HN24 was around 3-4" at the trailhead but more like 8 inches up high.

Snowpack

New and accumulating storm snow was drifting into slabs near ridgelines. Lots of new graupel was running fast and easily in dry sluffs on all steep slopes. This will be a layer to watch as it gets buried. Graupel was "pooling" in depressions. Expect some small natural Wind Slab avalanche near ridgelines if snow and wind continue into tomorrow. Watch for dry sluffs in terrain traps.

Avalanche

Enough new and wind-drifted snow accumulated to for soft, cohesive slabs that were very reactive to ski cuts on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees. The debris from these slides ran fast and entrained significant snow. Where snow not slabby, good sluff management required on steep slopes.