Aspen
SnowpackBrian Lazar Colin Mitchell · Mar 9, 2017 · Aspen
Weather
Warm and sunny. High thin clouds helped amplify solar radiation making for a warm day. Light and sometimes gusty westerly winds.
Snowpack
A winter's worth of southwest winds have scoured west and south-facing above treeline slopes, as well as most ridges and summits. West aspects were still holding snow below treeline, and in wind-loaded pockets and gullies in the higher terrain. Winds have redistributed the snowpack, and depth ranged from 120-220 across the slopes we traveled. The snow surface was a mixed bag of melt-freeze crusts, windboard, wind slab, and thinner wind crusts. At road elevation, snow was getting wet by midday, but stayed cold above about 11,500'. Higher elevation terrain was likely affected by later in the afternoon.