Aspen
AvalancheDylan Craaybeek · Nov 13, 2024 · Aspen
Snowpack
Southerly slopes above treeline have a basal crust with a layer of soft snow above then another thick melt-freeze crust on the old snow surface prior to last night's storm. Around half a foot to a foot of new snow was on top of the old crust this morning and quickly settled throughout the afternoon to only a few inches. The snow stayed dry above 11,000 feet even on southeast and south-facing slopes. A snowpit and snowpack tests on a north aspect above 12,000 feet showed an unreactive persistent weak layer near the ground (see snow profile).
Avalanche
Observed a few Loose Wet avalanches on steep south-facing terrain throughout the afternoon and one possibly Wind Slab avalanche on a northwest-facing slope (hard to tell if it was a slab from that far away but it looked like it had a small crown.)