A brisk spring day in Aspen today with a mix of sunshine, high clouds and windiness. Ajax reported 4 this morning and Highlands 5 inches. Most of that came yesterday morning but the Bowl was glistening this morning so perhaps some also fell late last night or early this morning. Snow is in the forecast for Friday and Friday night with a potential of 4 to 8 inches by Saturday morning.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has kicked the local avi danger to “considerable.” The Center’s Simon Trautman wrote that “a few storms during the last week and a half have dropped 3-4 feet of snow on the Aspen zone. Occasional strong winds from many different directions have loaded a variety of aspects near and above treeline.
“Observers have noted that these slabs were anywhere from 1cm to 1 ft thick and quite variable depending on your location. A few clear days and some breaks of sun between storms resulted in crusts on all but the northerly aspects.
“That is a lot of layers and a lot of variability to keep track of, so you will want to evaluate the upper snowpack often as you move around to different aspects and elevations during your backcountry tour. Watch for changes in stability over short distances and don’t get surprised by crossloaded slabs, convex rolls, and areas of unstable snow.”
Don't get surprised, indeed.
4.02.2009
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