Sawatch
SnowpackBo Torrey · Dec 29, 2020 · Aspen
Weather
Clear skies in the late morning gave way light snow showers, cold temperatures and gusty northwest winds. Occasional sun poking through the clouds.
Snowpack
Touchy snowpack at all elevations. Cracking and collapsing was the rule not the exception today. 8-12" inches of new snow in most areas. The wind had created drifts 24" inches deep. As I approached the east ridge that divides the north fork of Graham Gulch from Graham Gulch proper I experienced a large collapse that rolled through the terrain and remotely triggered 3 large avalanches. The largest of the 3 was over 1000' feet away from where I collapsed the slope. Each avalanche broke about 2 feet deep and a couple hundred feet wide. Slopes below treeline now have a cohesive slab and are producing avalanches. Noted multiple avalanches near Brumley trees. (photos attached). On north and southeast facing slopes below treeline propagation was easy in stability tests. ECTP 5 on north, ECTP8 on southeast both breaking 4o-50cm deep on 1.5mm facets.