| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Sunburst
Sunburst to 2500′. Turned around due to strong NE sustained winds, active wind loading, and poor visibility.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Active wind loading along ridgetops and at lower elevations. Winds were sustained in the 40's mph combined with light snowfall by 3pm. Small 2" wind slabs tender on test slopes at lower elevations where snow is falling on a crust. Small isolated cracking around on test slopes. No avalanche activity was observed.
Weather
Snowfall S-1 building to S1 by 3pm
Visibility/sky was obscured
Strong NE winds - sustained 30-40's mph, and blowing snow was observed to 1000' along road
Temps at 2500' ~ mid 20's F.
Rain/snow line was around ~400' (34F at sea level at 3:30pm)
Snow surface
1000'-1800' - firm m/f crust on all aspects with pockets of drifting snow and old snow
2000' - 6" of old snow covering 3cm m/f crust from 2-13-16 storm
2500' - Along ridge there was firm wind scoured old snow with pockets on of 2-4" wind drifted snow on leeward features
*Found some area with surface hoar at lower elevations still sitting on a crust, but was mostly blown over. There were many areas at lower elevation where surface hoar had blown away and crust was scoured.
Snowpack
Dug a pit at 2500' - SW aspect, HS>300cm, Pit Height -110cm, Ski/boot pen: 3”/10”, Tests: ECTN29 40cm below surface at a density change 1cm of (4F hard snow) Was unable to identify grains due to strong winds and blowing snow in pit, similar location (elevation/depth 40cm) as stellar interface observed earlier this week post valentines weekend storm. See photo diagram for more details. Overall good structure, high strength, and no propagation potential.
Moderate NE winds building to strong in the afternoon. Blowing snow was observed at all elevations today.
Melt-freeze crust on SW aspect at 1600'
1" layer of 0.5-1mm mixed forms w/ near surface facets sitting on a firm crust at 1300', West aspect. Grid size is 3mm.
Pit at 2500' on Sunburst, SW aspect
Visibility was poor due to blowing snow
Brief window of visibility at 2pm, but winds were still blowing snow along ridge lines and lower elevations
Alaska Avalanche School level 2 class digging pits at 2000' on Sunburst