Observation: Turnagain

Route: Traveled from 1000ft to 2900ft on Seattle Ridge

Signs of Instability:
Recent Avalanches: No large obvious new slab avalanches, however, possibly a wet slab from Monday
above the motorized lot around 2000ft on the E aspect of Seattle Ridge. (see photo)
Also a slab released sometime during the warm weather and rain in Mama’s Bowl around 2900ft on a NW aspect, 2-3’ deep by 200-300ft wide, ran on basal facets, possibly from cornice failure. (see photo)
Cracking: Some localized 5-6” around skis
Collapsing: None observed

Weather:
Partly cloudy skies
Light wind
Temperatures in the high 20’s F

Surface Conditions:
Strong supportable crust at all elevations from 3-4’ thick

Snowpack Observations:
The snowpack above treeline on the SE aspect of Seattle ridge is very thin,around 1.5-2’ deep. It
consists of a 3-4’’strong supportable crust over very weak, F hardness, wet facets.

We dug two pits below the ridge above Main Bowl.
2900ft
N Aspect
23° slope

Pit 1 (see profile)
HS=160cm
Surface was a hard melt-freeze crust over 1F to pen hardness snow. There are various crusts within the
slab and there is 40cm of basal facets that are moist, weak, and is still a layer of concern. However, the
strength of the slab will make it hard to trigger with the exception of thin/weak spots in the slab.
CT24 SC Q1 on basal facets below ice layer, block slid off into pit.

Pit 2
HS=150cm
Same structure as pit 1, except, only 1 ice layer was visible at 50cm.