Observation: Turnagain

Location: Cornbiscuit

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Took the right hand approach to Cornbiscuit/Lipps, travelling south along the highway briefly before climbing into the trees. Dug a pit at 1600′ and performed an ECT before climbing up to 2000′ for another pit. Skied down from about 2200′ on the lower angle section of the west face of Cornbiscuit. We exited through the normal Cornbiscuit/Magnum approach. Both routes are accessible but the alders are only shallowly buried so keep your tips up!

Weather & Snow Characteristics
Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.
Weather

Skies were mostly clear to start but getting cloudier throughout the day. Temps were really cold at the car (-12 F) but felt warmer above the valley bottom. Calm winds.

Snow surface

There was some new surface hoar on the surface (3-5 mm). Below 1800' the snow surface was uniform and soft. With the alders buried beneath 30-50 cm of settled storm snow. Above 1800' there were some wind affected areas from cross slope winds, with wind compacted snow up to 15 cm thick in some areas. Ski quality was still quite good where we were despite the wind.

Snowpack

Overall, the snowpack was composed of a right side up slab (fist to one finger) from the storm snow over the past few weeks, on top of a thick layer of weak facets, on top of a large melt freeze crust. This is essentially the same structure we have seen across the forecast area from in pits ranging from 1200' to 3000'.

@ 1200' height of snow (HS) 110cm
@ 1600' HS 150 cm
- faceted weak layer buried 85 cm down and 20 cm thick
- ECT P 30+ on facets
@ 2000' HS 180 cm
- faceted weak layer buried 85 cm down

Photos & Video
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