Aspen
SnowpackColin Mitchell · Dec 6, 2014 · Aspen
Weather
Warm and breezy. Some high clouds, but mostly clear skies all day. Winds were moderate and gusty in the valley, but no active wind transport was observed, even at higher elevations.
Snowpack
Height of snow was around 14" The snowpack was mostly faceted grains with a wind crust on the surface. The crust was beginning to facet, and near-surface facets covered the snow surface everywhere. Despite the thin snow pack midpack layers had enough cohesion to support the weight of a skier. Wind had worked over the snowpack on Greg Mace peak, the Castle Creek drainage, and lower Pearl Basin. Small sastrugi and a pronounced wind crust were found in all wind exposed areas. The snow has been redistibuted by southwesterly winds. Many areas had little snowcover. In contrast, cross-loaded gullies and couloirs abounded, as did large pillows found on lee sides of ridges and around terrain features. The persistent weak layer was intermittent in the below and near treeline areas we travelled. No cracking or collapsing, or other signs of instability were noted