Observation: Turnagain

Location: Sunburst

Date:
Observer:
Allen Dahl
Route & General Observations

Standard up track to top of Sunburst, SW descent. Deep soft snow made for excellent skiing. Low elevation trees were snow and frost covered while higher trees were not.

Red Flags
Red flags are simple visual clues that are a sign of potential avalanche danger. Please record any sign of red flags below.
Observer Comments

None observed

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

Clear bluebird day. Cold temps down low (<0f), in the teens higher up and as day progressed. Light winds from ENE

Snow surface

Semi large surface hoar down low seeming to disappear then reappear near the ridge top in protected areas. Around 30cm of unconsolidated snow. The northern edge of the west rib was thinner (~10cm) and more cohesive (wind packed).

Snowpack

First noticed that the northern edge of the west ridge was feeling more slabby around 3000', a handpit test revealed cohesiveness and a planar sliding surface (surface hoar), shearing with moderate force. Threw snow blocks down the Elevator shaft, surface snow seemed pretty soft but maybe not as deep, just below the ridge line (somewhat wind protected).

Location


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