Observation: Girdwood

Location: Raggedtop

Date:

January 14, 2017 4:00pm

Observer:

H. Thamm Professional

Route & General Observations

NE aspect of Raggedtop to 2000′

Red Flags

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Obvious signs of instability

Recent Avalanches?	No
Collapsing (Whumphing)?	Yes
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?	Yes

Observer Comments

Widespread collapsing and shooting cracks. One collapse shook snow from an alder 20' away.

Weather & Snow Characteristics

Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.

Weather

Graupel was falling off/on for about an hour.
Overcast to obscured
~20F
Winds were calm

Snow surface

~15" new - very loose and unconsolidiated

Snowpack

Very shallow snowpack! Dug a quick pit at 2000' and found well developed basal facets on the ground (10cm)
Two compression tests failed on isolation (CTVx2) and one CT11. See photo below. HS = 24" (60cm)

Hand pits were all failing on basal facets upon isolation or with easy pressure.

Photos & Video

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Cracking and collapsing occurred frequently when breaking trail.

Very weak snow, all Fist hard from the ground up, but obvious weak layer was the basal facets.

Very loose sugar snow on the ground

Graupel fell off/on for about an hour.

Visibility was limited, but could see the SW shoulder of Goat. The alders and lack of snow is notable for this time of year.

Location

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