Aspen

Avalanche

Nick Thompson · Nov 18, 2017 · Aspen

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Weather

Clear, light wind from west at treeline

Snowpack

S, SE aspects near treeline were bare before the storm. Now they have 4-6" of grauple topped with creamy powder. Grauple was large, up to half cm. E aspects have the same grauple but over facets. Easts had some windslabs near ridge lines (slabs consist of cohesive large grauple and wind fines) up to 12" thick were reactive with shooting cracks and failing on isolation on facet/grauple interface. N aspects had all avalanched during the storm, including in trees, leaving a crust over facets. Below treeline is thin but supportive.

Avalanche

Just about everything N-NE facing near treeline had slid during storm. Marble bowl, all of the fridge, secret trees. No activity seen below treeline. A couple small slides seen above treeline on N side of The Blob.