| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Eddies
10:15am -16:15pm
My partner and I ascended the lower, standard approach towards Eddies’ open meadows. We encountered moist surface snow, with a thin crust approx 4cm below from 500ft to 1,000ft. We intended on assessing wind affect, and decided to conduct instability tests at our high point, 2,460ft. We received results, with BSH being our LOC, and decided to ski a few delightful laps within the trees. Broken Skies, and Valley Fog were present, which gradually deteriorated to Overcast, but gratefully encountered no wind, and S-1 from 3pm +.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Experienced significant whumphing on a convexity, while traversing one at at time through a rollover. Conducted a few ski tests with no results.
Stepping out of skin track produced a localized collapse, within the first 10-30cm of 4F wind compacted Rounds in many wind-affected areas above 2,000ft.
Weather
10:15-1300: Broken Skies with dense Valley Fog from 500ft-1,200ft with temps around -1°C to -4°C. Calm winds.
13:00-16:15 Gradually deteriorating Overcast skies, calm to light winds from south, with temps between -5°C-1°C.
Valley Fog lifted around 3pm and S-1 precip.
Snow surface
Moist snow encountered from 600ft-1,000ft
2-4cm of fresh, dry snow above 1,200ft.
Riming was widely present on all surfaces from 1,000ft+ !
Many wind-affected areas of variable depth, 4F-1F hardness, were present on exposed ridges above 2,000ft, but no active or previous wind-scouring visible on Eddies.
Ski/Boot PEN: 30cm/ 70cm
Snowpack
In general, the first 10-20cm below surface were wind-affected with compacted rounds above 1,500ft. Our intentions for instability tests were to find the elusive MLK Jr. BSH, and we found it! We considered the BSH our Layer of Concern (LOC), and received results 68cm below surface. Hand pit tests produced consistent, easy, approx. 40cm down on rounds, possibly the New/Old interface.
*See SnowPilot and Hardness Profile for details*
IMG_0372
Hardness Profile. 2,460ft, S Aspect, 13° Slope
MLK Jr. BSH 15x Mag, 2mm Grid (LOC)
Rimed Precipitation Particles on surface, 1,000ft+
SnowPilot for Eddies Instability Test Pit
ECTP 24 68cm below surface on BSH (LOC)