Aspen
AvalancheJewel Campbell · Apr 9, 2024 · Aspen
Weather
Temperature was 32F all day near tree line and a light southwest breeze kept the snow cold. Surprisingly chilly day! Below tree line temps were warmer and the air was still. It was sunny and clear all day.
Snowpack
Below tree line the snow was crusty and took the whole day to soften. By mid-afternoon it was corn and turned into slush below about 9800'. Melt water had reached the ground at this elevation. Near tree line the snow surface was dry, with surface hoar in open areas and chalky near-surface facets on all northerlies. Southerlies were crusty and shiny by mid-afternoon. On all aspects surface snow was just moist enough to pack a snowball by mid-afternoon. Northwest-north-northeast slopes had a knife-hard melt freeze crust about 6" down with a loose layer of facets underneath it. This layer failed but did not propagate in snowpack tests. Another layer of loose facets (from March 23) was buried about 20" down but was pretty quiet in snowpack tests. Overall the snowpack is rounding and becoming consolidated. Upper layers may take a bit longer to soften and bond with the melt-freeze crust effectively capping them, but they won't be able to resist spring temperatures for too long. I was not able to identify the early February weak layer, and suspect it has healed and settled into the surrounding layers.
Avalanche
No wet loose avalanches observed at any elevation or aspect.