| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Tincan to 2300'
Tincan normal uptrack to 2300′
Late morning precipitation stopped, winds decreased into the 20’s mph and sky’s partially cleared. Visibility was good for a few hours to get a good look around Turnagain Pass for recent avalanche activity following the last 5 days of stormy weather.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
We saw several large D2 crowns on Lipps, N side of Sunburst and debris on Seattle Ridge. See Road Obs for pictures.
At 2000' the snow surface became more affected by recent winds and cracking was present on steep test slopes. *sustained ridgetop winds averaging in the 70's and gusting over 100mph on Sunburst from 11pm to 4am.
Weather
Skies were broken
Winds - 10-20mph
No new precip while we were on Tincan, but observed scattered rain showers from Eddies to Girdwood on the drive home.
Snow surface
1000' - Rain crust on surface with 10+ inches of saturated wet snow below
1500' - Thin rain crust 1" thick that disappears by 1850' (10" of new snow below that is dry and low density
2000-2300' - Pockets of wind affected snow; ski penatration was 8-15"
Snowpack
1400' - 1850' - 10" of new snow below the thin rain crust on surface is dry and low density (fist hard.) Below this layer is damp snow from 12/29 storm
Pit at 2300' SW aspect, HS=165, Test results: CT12, CT14, ECTN16 - top 10" of new snow, Thanksgiving rain crust was 120cm deep w rounding facets just above. Dec. 20-23 Near Surface Facets had 60cm of new snow on top. Both were 4F+ hard, but were not reactive in this pit.
Could see lots of wind pillows and cornice features on Tincan above 2000'
Lots of cross loading on the East face of Seattle Ridge
Cornice triggered D1 wind slab on small steep feature on Tincan at about 2500'
Pit at 2300' on a SW aspect, HS=165cm. Rounding facets found on Thanksgiving rain crust 120cm below the surface.
D2 slab on the NE shoulder of Sunburst at ~2500'
Snow berm along Tincan parking is over head height in places