Aspen

Avalanche

blase reardon · Dec 31, 2013 · Aspen

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Weather

A dusting of low-density snow after daybreak. Up to 2" of fluff in past few days. Mild temps, with light winds on ridge though winds looked faster above treeline, from clouds and occasional blowing snow winds.

Snowpack

Snowpack shallow and weak. HS never more than a meter even on shaded & sheltered slopes. 5 cm Surface Hoar and NSF at lower elevations; similar mixed w 2-3 cm recent low density fluff at higher elev. Sunny aspects a laminate of crusts and weak FC. Surface crusts 1-5 cm thick; thicker crusts not well bonded to underlying snow. On shady aspects < ~10000', upper snowpack faceting and breaking down. Skinning sometimes difficult. On shady, sheltered slopes > ~10,000', upper snowpack has retained more strength and skiing and skinning mostly easier.

Avalanche

Conditions not right just yet for facet sluffs. They will become a problem on steep, sheltered slopes < TL if current dry spell continues.