Details

• Date: 2019/12/10

• Observer: Matt Huber
• Organization: Forecaster, Colorado Avalanche Information Center

Location

• BC Zone: Aspen
• Area Description: West side of Independence Pass above the Independence Lakes trailhead. East Roaring Fork

Weather

• Ridgeline Wind Speed: 10-20 mph
• Ridgeline Wind Direction: N
• Wind Loading: Light
• Temperature: 19 F
• Sky Cover: Few
• Depth of New Snow: 4 cm
• Depth of Total Snow: 85 cm
• Weather Description: Mostly sunny skies and cold. North to northeast winds at ridgeline were consistently transporting snow along the continental divide, with light to moderate loading on southerly aspects at the highest elevations.

Snowpack

• Snowpack Description: Several small collapses noted on the skin track, boot penetration initiated a larger collapse (10-15m)as did ski turns on the way out. The 85 cm of total snowpack is supported by a 20 cm variable melt freeze crust at the ground. A thin layer of 2mm, cohesionless depth hoar directly above the crust produced moderate propagating test results. ECTP15

Avalanches

• Avalanche Description: Many avalanches observed near and above treeline on aspects ranging from north to east to southeast. Most were destructive size 2, with only a few D1's in cross-loaded terrain features.

	Date	Location/Path	#	Elev	Asp	Type	Trig	SizeR	SizeD
	2019/12/10  †		2	>TL	NE	HS	N	R2	D2
Date: 2019/12/10 (Estimated) Observer: Matt Huber Organization: Forecaster, Colorado Avalanche Information Center Area Description: Independence Mountain, fourth of July bowl Comments: Naturals that ran late 12/9 or early 12/10
	2019/12/10  †		2	>TL	SE	SS	N	R2	D2
Date: 2019/12/10 (Estimated) Observer: Matt Huber Organization: Forecaster, Colorado Avalanche Information Center Area Description: Ridgeline above Linkins Lake. Comments: Likely ran during period of high intensity snowfall 12/8 evening. Crown had been softened by snow and wind
	2019/12/10  †		1	TL	NE	SS	N	R2	D2
Date: 2019/12/10 (Estimated) Observer: Matt Huber Organization: Forecaster, Colorado Avalanche Information Center Area Description: Above the Lincoln gulch campground, Punch Bowl
	2019/12/10  †	East Snowmass Creek	1	>TL	NE	SS	N	R3	D2.5
Date: 2019/12/10 (Estimated) Observer: Matt Huber Organization: Forecaster, Colorado Avalanche Information Center Area Description: Garrett Ridgeline Landmark: East Snowmass Creek Elevation: 12600 ft
	2019/12/10  †		1	TL	NE	SS	N	R2	D2
Date: 2019/12/10 (Estimated) Observer: Matt Huber Organization: Forecaster, Colorado Avalanche Information Center Area Description: West side of Green Mtn
	2019/12/10  †	Richmond Hill	1	TL	NE	SS	U	R2	D1.5
Date: 2019/12/10 (Estimated) Observer: Matt Huber Organization: Forecaster, Colorado Avalanche Information Center Area Description: Richmond Ridge Landmark: Richmond Hill Comments: Unknown trigger. Several ski tracks near there at the end of the trip

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