Broken cloud cover and calm to light winds. Temperatures were warm.
Observation: Girdwood
Location: Crow Creek Area
Short tour up to the top of the south facing meadow on Goat.
Weather
Snow surface
Ski supportable 10 cm thick melt freeze crust. Not supportable for boots, I sunk to the ground when stepping out of my skis at our snowpit.
Snowpack
The total snow height in this area has shrunk from roughly 100 cm in mid December to roughly 75 cm now at treeline elevations. That is because the Christmas storm fell at least partially as rain or wet snow which has added a lot of water to the snowpack and should add strength as it freezes. We had an ECT N 26 at the interface with the new snow and the old snow surface and a partial propagation on the facets above the Thanksgiving crust with extra force ECT N 31. Neither of these results had much energy when they failed.
Broken cloud cover and light winds today.
Small wet avalanche debris, probably from the Christmas storm.
The weak layer of facets still exists about 55 cm down.
This avalanche is from mid December and the crown is still quite visible.
10 cm thick melt freeze crust on the surface with a weak layer of facets about 55 cm down. Generally moist snowpack.