Aspen

Avalanche

Shane Edmonds · Dec 16, 2020 · Aspen

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Weather

Mostly cloudy skies, by 11 a.m. lightly snowing a few hours later sun trying to come out. A quiet weather day for the most part didn't hear or see any sign of wind loading going on higher up.

Snowpack

Walked up to the No Name saddle. East aspect 9,600'. Numerous collapses walking up the trail getting up to this point. Height of snow is 65 cm where I dug. The top 15 cm of snow is fist hard. From 50 to 33 cm is 4F hardness. 33-25 cm is fist hardness and also the layer of concern. This layer is made up of 1-2mm facets. ECTP 4 on this layer all the way across the block in one failure. Below this layer is the early season snow made up of a sun crust and facets in between. On the walk out down the same trail I had just walked up I did get some more collapses.

Avalanche

I did notice some small avalanches below tree line on some slopes. Not big 20-40' wide running less then 50' only noticed 3 of these.