Observation: Turnagain

Location: Tincan

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Tincan common, then down to the north aspect behind common and out via trees

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

Overcast, with the occasional breaks in the late afternoon. Temps in the teens, winds occasionally light from the north.

Snow surface

The snow surface continues to loosen up since the storm, with ski penetration of 6-8" today. Some breakable wind crusts in common bowl and at treeline from yesterday's winds, but generally soft along the route.

Snowpack

Dug just east of the top of Tincan Common in Hippy Bowl
SSW aspect, 3250', 27 degree slope, Height of snow=160cm (less than surrounding areas)
CT 24, 27 SP down 75cm on the 12/15 buried facets
CT 27, 29 RP down 50cm on the 12/24 buried facets
ECTX, but the 12/24 failed and barely propagated in overdrive
The three main storm interfaces - 11/16, 12/15, 12/24 - were obvious in this pit
Compared to pits lower on Tincan this week:
- no surface hoar was visible in each layer
- the hardness differences were more extreme, as pictured below
- the weak layers were thicker

Then headed to the NE aspect of Tincan, to look at crowns on North to West aspects between Tincan Trees and Todds Run. From the amount of new snow covering the debris, these appear to be from naturals that occurred during the end of the 12/24-25 storm. Numerous crowns in an area ~400 yards across released 2-3' thick slabs, with debris running ~600 yards down slope. One of the lower avalanches at 2000', NNW aspect, 30 degree slope, ran on the 12/24 interface - no surface hoar present - with a meter deep crown, and a total snow height of 160cm. This layer wasn't reactive today in a compression test.

No debris could be seen in the runout of Todd's Run, though a crown was present below a West facing cornice over the bowl.

Glide cracks appear to be multiplying and widening on the South aspect of Eddies; see below for a comparison between 12/24 and today.

No cracking, collapsing, or other recent avalanche activity was seen along the route.

Photos & Video
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