Aspen

Avalanche

blase reardon · Jan 26, 2014 · Aspen

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Weather

More clouds than past few days. But that's still not many. Some brief periods of gusty winds mid-afternoon well below treeline.

Snowpack

Above TL shaded slopes mostly faceting old wind-slabs and wind-packed surfaces. A few hard, MF crusts on steep sunny slopes. Near TL, settled recycled powder on all but sunniest slopes. Snowpack felt very consolidated in numerous pole probes - progressively harder resistance and could never reach ground. Some rare, trapdoor patches in steep gully walls.

Avalanche

Lots of old crowns from last week's cycle. Most looked to be 30-60 cm deep, and D1.5, w a few larger D2 slides on easterly slopes below ridgeline. On northerly faces, fractures were generally smaller and less deep. Debris from several of ridgeline slides triggered slides on gully walls near treeline.