Aspen
AvalancheDylan Craaybeek · Dec 25, 2021 · Aspen
Weather
9:30 AM at the trailhead Broken sky, Moderate gusts, and S-1 precipitation (mostly graupel). On and off sunshine with Broken to Scattered sky throughout the day. Variable precipitation mostly S-1 with a few short periods of S2. Mostly light winds with Moderate gusts and Moderate snow transport all day.
Snowpack
Southerly slopes below treeline had very few obvious signs of instability. 3 localized shooting cracks that travelled no more than 6 feet from where I triggered them over 3+ miles of traveling on southerly aspects. Northerly aspects were quite different. First few steps on east and northerly-facing slopes and immediately triggered widespread collapsing and shooting cracks. Every step onto a new terrain feature had signs of unstable snow with shooting cracks travelling over 100 feet away from where I triggered them. The recent storm snow seems to have bonded with last weeks storm to form a slab around 50-80cm thick below the treeline. All the shooting cracks and collapses failed on well-developed facets at the base of the snowpack.
Avalanche
Observed numerous natural avalanches that likely occurred on Dec. 24 all on northeast and east facing slopes. Triggered one Large avalanche on a northeast slope below treeline.