Aspen
SnowpackChad Reich · Apr 12, 2013 · Aspen
Weather
Went to Tagert Hut Tuesday - Friday morning. Snowed lightly entire time, winds variable from all directions, sun broke through periodically. Temps were between teens at night to near and maybe above freezing in the afternoons.
Snowpack
Dug two pits. Pit 1 - above treeline on west face in Pearl Oberland Basin, 30 degree slope. HS 80 cm (shallow), with many weak layers. Compression tests showed 5 fractures at varying depths. Pit 2 - West facing near treeline at entry of Montezuma Basin. HS 240, new snow (fist) above dust layer, above strong layer (4F), above melt/freeze crust (knife), above very large and firm (pencil hard) midpack above sugary basal facets (fist). Compression test showed Q1 failure at CT16 on melt/freeze crust. Not much energy, but the test was performed on a 25 degree slope. Put a larger skier on another isolate block, and yielded similar results.