Aspen

Avalanche

Jacob Dalbey · Nov 24, 2018 · Aspen

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Weather

Flats above teacup bowl. 10,800'. NNW. Heavy Blowing snow and sustained 20-25mph winds with gusts of appox 40mph from the WNW. S5 precip accumlation. Snow was heavy with mixed graupel at times.

Snowpack

Dug quick hand pit at 10,800', NW aspect and 30 degree slope angle. 12-16" new snow fist hard and 20-24" fist hard facets to ground. Numerous collapses and shooting cracks on all aspects and at all elevations.

Avalanche

Ski decent on the skin track came upon a solo skier triggered avalanche on the open NNE aspect to the north of tea cup bowl. 10,500'. Skinning below this slope in the trees a half hour prior caused multiple sympathetic collapses and shooting cracks across the face but did not release. Beacon search was conducted with no results and then located skiers exit track, Crown depth was approx 2-3', 50-100' wide and ran 50-100'?