Aspen
AvalancheDylan Craaybeek · Mar 29, 2022 · Aspen
Weather
34F, Overcast, and S1 at the trailhead at 10:00AM with light rain as driving up to the trailhead. There was about an hour period of some sunshine and Broken sky coverage from 11 to around noon and then Light to Moderate snowfall throughout the day. Moderate winds at ridgeline and Light to Moderate snow transport.
Snowpack
6.2cm of new snow measured at Hell Roaring Trailhead at 11:00AM settled to 1.5cm at 4:00PM. Most of the new snow below 10,000 feet has already melted down to be homogenous with the already existing melt forms. Below 10,000 feet all aspects including north are homogenous melt forms throughout the snowpack. Above 10,000 feet northerly slopes begin to separate from other aspects that remain mostly homogenous with numerous melt-freeze crusts throughout. The dry-spell facet layer is still a concern on northerly slopes mostly near and above the treeline. Snowpack tests continue to show unstable results on all northerly aspects near and above treeline while below treeline only some north-facing slopes above 10,000 feet still have dry facets. (see snowpack tests image). The weak layer is buried 70-120cm deep below the snow surface under a mostly 1F to P hard (on the hand hardness scale) slab.
Avalanche
Noticed a few old Wet Loose avalanches on southerly slopes.