Observation: Chugach State Park

Location: Flattop Trail - first stairs & bench

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Hiking flattop on Sunday in snow storm on Glen Alps standard trail. Worked my way around Blueberry and then started up Flattop. Got to first set of stairs, then the first bench where tourists sit or take pictures. About one hundred horizontal feet later, while on the trail, I initiated a small slab avalanche about 40 feet wide, 50 feet high vertically. It was 8 inch slab over hard packed sun crust (west facing slope). Wind was 10-15mph and actively loading the slope above me. Slab started at a rock above me and enveloped me, but I did not lose my footing. I imagine the area closer to Blueberry Hill could be bad (where that person was caught a couple years back) and also the top face of Flat top. I have no photos – as the conditions were near zero visibility.