| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Center Ridge
Toured to the end of Center Ridge and then into the basin SW of Kickstep to about 3000 ft. Then back up Center Ridge, and skied the west aspect into Lyon Creek (good skiing!). Skinned out Lyon Creek, which went much more smoothly than expected. Alders are finally laying down!
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
We got a single whumph on the NE aspect of Center Ridge past the "end" at about 2300 ft (near Kickstep Glacier).
Saw a large debris pile on the NE side of Sunburst, I'm assuming from the 12/30 storm (see photo). The SW face of Kickstep slid sometime recently, with various crowns visible and debris in the valley. Various crowns visible on the NE aspect of "Tincan Peak Ridge" and debris in the valley.
Weather
Clear skies, calm to light winds, dramatic inversion.
Snow surface
Holy surface hoar (see photos)! Massive surface hoar crystals observed below about 1500 ft. Above that, soft settled powder (good skiing) transitioning to wind affected, variable snow atop Center Ridge, primarily on NE aspects. In the basin SW of Kickstep, there was remarkably little snow (bare tundra in places), and horrendous wind affect.
Snowpack
Did several hand pits. The only thing of note was that a) the snowpack was surprisingly thin everywhere (often less than a ski pole deep), and b) the snow pack is pretty "bottomless", with a distinct layer of depth hoar just about everywhere.
Mega Surface Hoar
Surface Hoar Trufula Trees
Avalanche on NE aspect of Sunburst
Wind stripped ridges on Sunburst