Aspen
SnowpackMatt Huber · Feb 16, 2020 · Grand Mesa
Weather
Heavily-rimed stellars fell most of the trip with less than 2 inches accumulating by mid-afternoon. Southwest winds were strong enough to drift fresh snow near treeline and wind exposed terrain, though slab development was minimal with limited fresh snow.
Snowpack
At 10,500 feet on a southeast-facing slope, the total snowpack depth was generally about a meter deep. 5 centimeters of fresh snow sits on a breakable melt freeze crust. In wind exposed terrain, very small, isolated pockets of harmless wind slab are developing on easterly slopes. Several melt freeze crusts and remnants of melt-freeze crusts can be found throughout the snowpack, notably at 45 centimeters from the ground. Although not exceptional in appearance or in resistance, extended column tests produce moderate, propagating results on the depth hoar directly below.