Aspen

Snowpack

Sean Smollen · Mar 11, 2021 · Aspen

Weather

Skys varied throughout tour, broken into overcast back into broken. Winds sustained moderate speeds at 10,000' coming from the west. Blowing snow was visible anywhere without protection (trees). No precipitation during tour.

Snowpack

HS in a wind loaded easterly aspect around 10,000' was between 130-160cm. Recent storm snow (3/9/2021) is sitting above a melt freeze crust below treeline everywhere, except isolated, shaded north facing terrain. This melt freeze crust was, at minimum, a knife hard layer, with some places being downright ice. New snow is still lacking cohesion, even in places where wind blown snow has increased density. Boot penetration was clean through new snow and new wind blown snow, but did not penetrate the melt freeze/ice layer. In isolated, shaded north facing areas boot penetration was full pack. Near surface faceting was observed within the new snow. Less notable, but still worth noting: Skier compaction on Willies is at an unprecedented level... Moguls are present in the more frequented descents.