Aspen

Avalanche

blase reardon · Jan 20, 2017 · Aspen

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Weather

S2 mid morning to mid afternoon. Skies obscured that period. About mid afternoon, snow intensity dropped to S1 or S-1. Some breaks in clouds. Winds noticeable all elevations, but variable in direction. Mostly S. 8" nwe snow in AM at Quarry study plot, but accumulated quickly during the day. Mid morning, trailbreaking in old skin track was calf deep. Ski pen knee deep by mid afternoon.

Snowpack

Upside-down storm snow. Very low density fluff last night, but today's snow was heavily rimed (not wet) and quickly formed soft slab that got more reactive as day progressed. On north facing slopes, surface hoar may have survived long enough to be buried.

Avalanche

Natural and triggered Loose Dry avalanches in AM, but Storm Slab avalanches more common, wider as day progressed and slab developed. Loose dry did not run on surface of new snow; gouged down to near interface quickly and entrained a lot of snow.