Aspen

Avalanche

blase reardon · Dec 1, 2018 · Aspen

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Weather

Snow showers S-1 to S1 with one burst of S2. Mostly calm, except for blustery winds at valley bottom early morning. Skies overcast->broken by midday. Cold.

Snowpack

8-15" HST in previous skin track (a.k.a. the trench). Relatively low density and just barely cohesive enough to crack in places. Little sign of wind effects. Regular collapsing starting just above road elevation in trees when left established skin track. Highest collapse in trees along Sunkist/ Toxic Pumpkin (~10,600 feet). Some rumbling, one dropped me a few inches, another shook trees 20 yards away. Among the whumfiest conditions I've seen there. Collapsing on facets at ground, generally when slab immediately above was softer.

Avalanche

SS-N-D1-O 1-2 feet thick NE facing gully side at 9800 feet. Report of similar slide at slightly lower elevation. Both fresh. L-N-D1-N 11,000 feet. East facing slope, ran about 75 vertical feet. Probably triggered by tree bomb.