Sawatch

Avalanche

Ian Hoyer · Dec 22, 2015 · Aspen

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Weather

Just below freezing. Totally socked in, snowing lightly. No significant winds, only 5-10 mph at ridgeline.

Snowpack

Only a trace of new snow. Warm temps are helping the snowpack below treeline to start developing a slab. Still only ~F+, but becoming supportable to a skier. Snow depth ~70-80 cm near treeline. Dug on NE aspect near treeline, in a wind deposit. No propagating snowpack test results, even with a P hard slab. A thin layer of surface hoar was buried under the most recent snow, it may become reactive when loaded. ~30 cm of 2mm basal facets that were borderline depth hoar.

Avalanche

Saw debris in one of the Twin Peaks gullies, couldn't see crown. Was starting to get blown in, it looked at least a day old.