Observation: Chugach State Park

Location: False Peak/Little O'Malley

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Rode a short “test” line on the NW aspect at 3500′ on False Peak. 6 inches new, dry snow on knife hard wind/rain crust combo, that ranged in thickness from 1 to 4 inches. This crust is sitting on top of a variety of snow ranging from dry, sugary snow to pencil hard windpacked snow. In places it was buried beneath 6in to 1 ft windpacked snow. New snow bonded surprisingly well, but we didn’t push our luck once we started punching through isolated, weak shallow spots in the windslab from previous storm (1/12?). A good portion of the Ballfield was scoured to rock before the storm 1/15 storm, and was completely covered the morning of 1/16. This storm came in with 10-20 mph E/NE winds and finished dead calm. Wind drifts were up to 2 feet deep on lee aspects. Poor riding conditions everywhere except where there was 1 foot+ of soft wind drifted snow.

Red Flags
Red flags are simple visual clues that are a sign of potential avalanche danger. Please record any sign of red flags below.
Obvious signs of instability
Recent Avalanches?Yes
Collapsing (Whumphing)?No
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?No
Observer Comments

Numerous long running sluffs running on SW aspect of False Peak. No slab activity noted.