Aspen
AvalancheNathan Baier · Jan 9, 2019 · Aspen
Weather
Warm in the Sun, Cool in shade. Few thin clouds.
Snowpack
New snow has a distinct density change about 8" below the surface. Which rests on top of surface hoar and near surface facets. When probing with a ski pole, you can clear feel these two interfaces. Minor cracking and collapsing while skinning, I believe these were occurring on the surface hoar/near surface facet interface. Large amount of wind effect above tree line. Anything exposed to the wind was raked. The snow was heavy and slabby near the last big trees on the bowling alley. Sun exposed snow heavy and wet in the afternoon. Sticking to skis.
Avalanche
Two notable avalanches one Mt. Justice, and one new skier triggered slide in the FYM Gully. The first was in the East side gully. We were unable to identity the crown but there were debris on the sneak bench and also about 1,000 ft down from the top of the start zone in the gully. The second Mt Justice slide, was on the North-Northwest face. It appears to have slid just below the steep roll over midway down the face. Appeared to have run about 500 ft and deposited a large debris pile. If anything avalanched from above any evidence was gone from new snow and wind. In the FYM gully we ski upon a skier triggered slide. The tracks and slide were fresh, possibly within an hour or two. One track went in and skied out. Appeared to be triggered from the side or toe of the slope. Crown 3+ ft in depth. Not sure what the sliding surface was, seemed to be deeper than the surface hoar/nsf interface. Towards the bottom of the slide it went over a small cliff band and took the snow down to rocks.