Observation: Turnagain

Location: Sunny side @1400 Seattle ridge.

Date:

February 16, 2019 2:00pm

Observer:

Alaska Avalanche School Level 2 (Snowmachine course)

Route & General Observations

Motorized lot to 1400′ on Sunny side, Seattle Ridge. Surface conditions improving w new snow, though poor light kept us below TL.

Red Flags

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Observer Comments

Noneobserved.

Weather & Snow Characteristics

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

Weather

14*F at Noon & 25*F at 4pm at moto lot. Snowing ~1cm/ hr all day. Winds were light from the NE. Temp was warming throughout the day.

Snow surface

3-4" new (low density) snow throughout the day. Surface conditions much improved over yesterday!

Snowpack

Location #1: HS=140cm
1400' Lookers right of up track. SE aspect (120*), 24* slope.
CT23 Q2 down 20cm on decomposing crust
ECTN11 down 15cm
ECTX x 2

Big picture: Several crusts at this elevation. Large temp gradients around crusts and generally facets rounding out.
Note: No BSH present at this elevation.

Location #2: HS=130cm
Elevation: 1160', NW aspect. 30* slope.
CT23 x2 Q3 down 25 cm on 1mm facets below thin crust.
ECTN29 Q3 25cm down on same layer.

Future layer of concern seems to be 1-2mm facets down ~25cm, below a thin crust.

Photos & Video

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Location #2. Flat light kept us geeking out below TL today.

L2 students finding a good use for Alder branches.... Crust markers!

Snowing ~1cm/ hr all day.

Location

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