10/27/2022 Field Report - Aspen

Greg Mace. Steep north facing rocky terrain.

Ascended a mellow southerly couloir via skins. Traversed the ridge and descended a north facing series of tighter couloirs.

Skier 1 descended first, skiing a short chute that fed into a larger one beneath. Immediate signs of instability were seen, multiple cracks in the storm slab on top. Skier 1 descended carefully to a safe zone about halfway down the couloir and stood behind a large rock outcropping. Skier 1 alerted skier 2 of the conditions, and told skier 2 to make a large ski cut across the larger adjacent slope. Skier 2 triggered a storm slab approximately 12” deep, and both were out of harms way. Skier 2 then began to descend the bed surface when a second avalanche was triggered, releasing the wind slab beneath and breaking all the way to the ground. Crown was about 3-4 feet deep and approx. 200 feet wide. Skier 2 was caught and carried for about 1,000 feet to the bottom of the couloir. Skier 2 was not buried or injured.

West through south facing slopes had a consistent 25-30” of snow. Snowpack was decently consolidated, and could feel two layers using pole depth checks. Approx. 25” of consolidated snow with a very small (1-2”) layer beneath from early October storms. North facing slopes were much deeper. Heavily wind loaded, approximately 40-50” deep. Multiple layers could be felt, approx. 12” storm slab on top, 24-30” consolidated wind slab beneath that, and a 2-3” layer on bottom from early October storms.

Cloudy, light snowfall. Temperature in the mid 20’s. Little to no wind.