Aspen
AvalancheBrian Lazar · Dec 6, 2018 · Aspen
Weather
S-1 all day, with maybe a couple inches of accumulation by 2pm. Overcast skies. Much warmer than last few days. Some gustier conditions above treeline with only light WSW wind lower down.
Snowpack
Weak snowpack overall. Avg HS around 120cm. At lower elevations the snowpack is unsupportable in boots or snowmobile, and punch through to basal facets. Supportable on skis. Did get a couple rumbling collapses on flatter slopes near treeline in meadow-like tearin features. Above treeline there is a stiffer wind-drifted slab capping the basal facets. The slab is 1F to P hard but only 8-10" thick. Again supportable to skies. The alpine is heavily wind-affected. There are obvious stiff slabs plastered into depressions in gullies and below ridgelines. They don't look appealing,and these areas steeper than 35 degrees are good areas to avoid. They are very easy to see, as bare or obvious scoured ground separates these slopes. Snow continued to drift near and above the alpine trim line, but these just seemed to form small wind drifts and cornices. I don't see this doing much to the stiff slabs at this elevation in this area.
Avalanche
No avalanches observed. I did not see any natural avalanche activity from recent days, but visibility was not great and drifting snow may have obscured any evidence.