Temp at Arctic Valley ridgetop temp 2.9 degrees F. Wind blowing from W at 1-2 mph. Obscured peaks. Actively snowing ranging from S1 to S-1.
Observation: Chugach State Park
Location: Arctic Valley
Toured up low angle terrain above tubing hill. Stayed to the right of Nike site and ravine below Nike site. Obscured peak until 4PM. Snowpack is variable across much of terrain due to previous wind.
Weather
Snow surface
20 cm of new light snow.
Snowpack
Very variable snow depth and snowpack throughout valley. 20-30cm of this week's snow over bare ground to 180cm wind drifts, average of about 70cm coverage on southern aspects.
Previous wind affect from south and west wind.
Dug pit at 3100' SW aspect. Thirty cm of light new snow over rounded recent snow. Buried surface hoar/near surface facets evident at 35 cm down over harder rounded grain slab with variable melt freeze crust at 53 cm down. Rounded grain slab below that. CTH 21 Q2 (on BSH/near surface facets layer), CTE 6 PC in new snow, CTN. At same elevation, solar ice crust on S aspect.
Depth hoar sudden collapse in test in another pit in shallower area.