Aspen
AvalancheAnonymous · Jan 1, 2017 · Aspen
Weather
The morning started clear with clouds building to overcast with light intermittent snowfall beginning to fall around the time of the incident shortly after 2pm. Winds were light-moderate out of the SW, but I didn’t/couldn’t see any blowing snow. I didn’t measure field temps, but at the nearest weather station highs for the day were in the mid 20s.
Snowpack
In most areas the snowpack seemed fairly similar to what I’ve been seeing in other places. The big exception was in the massive old slide paths that crossed the entire north face of Green Mountain. Those large slides ran on the 12/14 layer from the pre-Christmas storm. That large avalanche cycle was observed and reported on 12/24. Those crowns were in the 2 ft+ category and the bed surface was very hard and frozen. On top of that was approx. 2-4 in. of very soft new and faceted snow. It wasn’t very good, but we skied those 4†and didn’t notice any sluffing or cracking. That is until the last slope which was particularly thin and more open and exposed to fresh wind loading.
Avalanche
The avalanche occurred on a 30-35 degree north-facing slope at 11500 feet. The crown was 2-4 inches deep, on top of that 12/14 frozen bed surface (that was the ground in some places) from the previous large avalanche cycle. It initiated, and propagated to my right on my first left-hand turn. Fully committed to the slope, I took another right-hand turn before realizing that I had initialed an avalanche with my first turn. If I hadn't made the second turn I might not have been swept off my feet, but I still wouldn't have been able to exit the slope as I was blocked by a 2 ft frozen crown/flank wall. There wasn't much snow involved, but it was enough to push me harder than I could stick my edges into the frozen bed surface and approx 150 ft down the slope through several trees that I passed slow enough to think I could grab onto, but with enough force pushing me that I couldn't hold on. I stopped on the surface of a shallow pile of debris with one ski and one pole nearby. The other ski was pinned against a tree a short way up the slope. The pole is still missing. It's a Black Diamond pole with yellow tape and an orange ski strap. Please leave at Markley hut if found.