Aspen

Avalanche

Simi Hamilton · Apr 14, 2020 · Aspen

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Weather

Intermittent sun and snow flurries. 15 degrees F. Steady 10 mph winds from N and NW with gusts up to 25 mph at 13,000'.

Snowpack

Hard, very supportable crust underneath recent storm snow (4"-6"). Pockets of wind slab on E and N facing slopes up to 14" thick.

Avalanche

Was able to ski cut two wind slabs at the top of the NE face of Star Peak. The first was approximately 25' wide and ran 75' on 45° NE facing slope (crown was 8-10" thick). The second was approximately 45' wide and ran 200-250' on 45° NE facing slope (crown was 10-12" thick). Neither had much energy when they released and neither traveled fast, but propagation was noteworthy and significant.