Aspen

Avalanche

blase reardon · Mar 20, 2014 · Aspen

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Weather

Mostly clear skies and light winds 3-19, morning of 3-20. Winds and clouds late morning 3-20 and were visibly blowing snow off ridgelines by noon. Strong winds limited to ridgelines until late afternoon, when they started mixing down below treeline.

Snowpack

Sastrugi and slick, hard wind slabs on many slopes above TL. Sun crusts on E-S-W facing slopes below treeline. On Faceting dry snow on northerly slopes not affected by winds. On many slopes, 5-8 cm new/ wind-drifted snow over thin dust layer. Soft but supportable MF grains - proto-corn - on westerly slopes below treeline.

Avalanche

One fresh-looking slide (below) and glimpse of large crown ~ 100' below ridgeline on east facing slope between South Hayden and Hayden Peak. Couldn't see debris or determine age.