Aspen
AvalancheNoah Harwood · Dec 21, 2013 · Aspen
Weather
NNW slopes of Mt. Yeckel at 11,500': intermittent snow S1 to S2, 10 degrees F, light winds from the NW. About 20cm of new snow by 12/21/13, and another 10cm by 12/22/13. Ridgeline winds picked up on 12/22/13 to 10-15 mph from the NW and started stiffening the storm slabs.
Snowpack
West-facing slopes 11,400'; 50-70: 0.5-1mm new snow, fist; 40-50: 0.5-1mm mixed forms, 4-finger; 20-40cm: 1mm facets, 4-finger; 0-20cm: 3mm facets, fist. CT12 Q2 at interface between basal facets and 1mm facets. This was the failure layer for all three slides.
Avalanche
12/21/13 1) Natural R1D1 that slid on the interface between larger basal facets and 1mm facets at 20cm. West aspect in Yeckel bowl at 11,500'. Average width: 5m'; Average vertical: 7m'; Average crown: ~50cm; Average slope: ~38 degrees. 2) R3D2, likely remotely triggered, that slid on the interface between basal facets and 1mm facets. West aspect in Yeckel bowl at 11,400'. Average width: 30m; Average vertical: 20m; Average crown: ~50cm; Average slope: 40 degrees. 3) R2D2, sympathetically triggered from avalanche #2, that failed at 20cm interface between 3-5mm facets and 1mm facets. West aspect in Yeckel bowl at 11,400'. Average width: 20m; Average vertical: 20m; Average crown: 50cm; Average slope: 39 degrees; Slope at crown: 32 degrees. Small slide but debris pile was more than 2m deep.