None observed, although visibility was very poor and we couldn't see much
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Corn Biscuit
Very few parking areas were plowed in Turnagain Pass today and we opted for Corn Biscuit due to lack of options. Broke trail to lower meadows and then skinned along NW shoulder to 2100′. Dug two pits and found poor structure in both locations.
Observer Comments
Weather
Overcast becoming obscured by big flakes mid day
3-4" low density new snow this afternoon
Winds were calm
Temps - mid 20F's
Snow surface
3-4" new snow today on 2' of new snow from Friday
Ski pen 10", boot pen 2'
Snowpack
We dug in two locations and found poor structure in both places.
Pit 1 - 1880', NW aspect, 30* slope, HS=150cm - 20" new snow. Found two layers of buried surface hoar mixed with facets. Stability tests failed constantly on the upper most layer of buried surface/facets 60cm below the surface (CT12, ECTP22, ECTP30.) One CT failed 70cm below the surface on buried surface hoar/facets (CT25.) The bottom 1/3 of the pit was decomposing crusts with facets (4F- F hard) in between some of the crusts. Crusts were pencil to 1F and breaking apart easily in places. We also found moist facets (1F hard) on the ground.
Pit 2 - 2100' NNW aspect, 24* slope, HS=185cm - 22" new snow. This location had variable test results. A few compassion tests failed easily 85 cm below the surface on facets/crust (CT2, CTI) and didn't fail on other tests. There was two compression tests that failed with strong force on the new snow/old snow interface 60cm below the surface (CT22, CT30.) Noting propagated in Extended Column tests.
Pit at 1800' on Northwest aspect of Corn Biscuit. This was in an area protected from wind just below a grove a trees.
Pit at 2100' on NNW aspect of Corn Biscuit. This was in an area exposed to winds
Hand pit failed easily on facet/crust at 1600' on Northwest aspect, where there was only 15" new snow, windward area.
2mm facets with 1cm buried surface hoar(BSH) found 70cm below the surface in a pit at 1800' - likely the Jan.21 BSH
Trees near the Iditerod trail at 1200' were pasted with new snow on their windward side (N aspect)
Corn Biscuit W face - visibility was poor, but could see some features early in our tour
Alders are still thriving at lower elevations.
It was snowing heavily at 3:30pm on our descent.