| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Sunburst
Tour up Sunburst ridge to see the extent of damage from the rain yesterday and take a look at how the buried surface hoar is reacting under the New Year’s snow.
We only made it to 2300′ due to poor visibility and dangerous avalanche conditions.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
One collapse around 2,000'.
Weather
Obscured skies. Light snowfall (1cm per hour). Light Southerly winds above alderline. 32F at parking lot and around 30F at 2,300'. Warm snow day.
Snow surface
3" of new moist snow at 2,300' (2" in parking lot).
Snowpack
Wet snow and crusty conditions exist below 2,000' - with a 2" dusting of new snow on top. Difficult skiing.
Above 2,000':
12-14" dense new snow from Dec 31st through today (crusts from rain over New Year's disappear around 2,000'). Buried surface hoar (BSH) was reactive under the new snow. See video. Pit results:
ECTP 11, 12, 12, 15 all failing in BSH 12 - 14" deep. Sudden collapse.
Surface hoar was 5mm to 1cm in size and was sitting on a 1cm layer of near surface facets. Under the facets was a breakable melt freeze crust.
Bottom line: Poor snowpack stability.
Snow pit 2,300' Sunburst
Snow pit at 1,900', thin crusts here under 3" new snow. Crusts from rain 1/2/18 thicker as elevations lower
Buried surface hoar - found in both pits
Obscured skies
Runnels around 1,500'