Aspen
AvalancheBrian Lazar · Jan 7, 2019 · Aspen
Weather
Windy! You could hear winds raging up high, even during long periods when skies were obscured. Lots of blowing snow, especially near ridgeline and near and above treeline from what I could see with limited visibility. There was wind moving snow well into the timber below treeline. Snowing S-1 to S1 throughout the day, with about 4-5 inches of new snow from 6 am to 2pm, then things started to clear out a bit.
Snowpack
Average height of snow is around a meter below 11,000 ft, and then more like 120cm above that to top of Sheep Mtn at 11,500 ft. Mostly weak snowpack with no discernible slab except the storm slab which is around a 1 foot thick, up to 2 feet thick in drifted areas. HST is is around 18 inches, with around 20-24 inches on lee slopes. This is all below treeline. On quarry road, bank slides were cracking while being plowed.
Avalanche
Small Storm Slab avalanches on Sheep mtn in the storm snow breaking around a foot deep. Marble bank slide ran overnight or early in the morning, putting 4 ft of debris on the quarry road. 2 to 4 ft drifts on the road this morning after plowing 1 to 2 foot drifts yesterday. This afternoon, 3 large natural avalanches ran above the Marble quarry road north and northeast aspects near treeline. Expect we will see more activity with some visibility tomorrow.