Did not observe any obvious signs of instability in my viewshed.
Observation: Chugach State Park
Location: Chugach Front Range Flattop
Left Glen Alps at 1130. Plan was to check out bonding of new snow from storm event on 4/9 on older sun-affected southerly aspects in the Blueberry Knoll/Flattop area. Made two runs in loose new snow on SW aspect of Blueberry near the base of Flattop. Noted post-storm ski/snowboard track coming off summit and down NW aspect of Flattop (pic). Saw no indications of post-storm avalanches in my view shed. Returned to PL by 4:30.
Observer Comments
Weather
Started out under partly cloudy skies. Around midday a fog layer moved in dropping visibility down to 100yds. This fog layer had dissipated by midafternoon with sunny skies returning. Winds were calm with a temp of 39deg at 1400; a real scorcher.
Snow surface
Up to 20cm of new loose F snow on firm base in the Glen Alps area. This was topped by a very thin layer of surface hoar. By midafternoon intense sunshine on southerly aspects had transformed this snow into a “mashed potato” consistency. Saw no indications of recent wind transport at lower elevations. Sculpturing on Flattop may be from previous wind event (pic).
Snowpack
Did a pit at 2500ft on the SW aspect of Blueberry knoll; pic and pit profile attached.
HS = 158cm. Found a sequence of melt/freeze layers intermixed with mostly rounding facets.
Top down, got STC@130cm; STM@100cm; CT15@120cmQ2. ECT11N@125cmQ2.
FlattopNWaspect
Recent tracks off Flattop summit
View SW to O'Malley gully False peak area.
Pit wall SW aspect Blueberry Knoll
SnowProfileSW aspect Blueberry Knoll