| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Chugach State Park
Location: Front Range - Rabbit Creek
Post work (almost) solstice ski tour in the front range.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Several large collapses below tree line in areas unaffected by recent winds. As soon as we broke above treeline we could feel a stiffer wind slab below our skis/ drag storm snow and did not get any more whumphs.
Weather
New snow: ~8-10” from yesterday (12/19).
Wind: non existent
Temp: low 20’s at trailhead.
Sky cover: low fog deck stuck in the Anchorage bowl all day. Above ~1,000’ it was blue skies and beautiful!
Snow surface
8-10” dry snow capped by ~1mm surface hoar. No wind affect yet.
Blissful pow turns in this December light!
Snowpack
Dug a pit at 2,400’. HS: 125cm. NW aspect. 26 deg slope. ECTN 22 down 40cm, below ~10” thick wind slab.
1F facets above the Thanksgiving crust but no formal results in the facets.
Once I pried on the block, it did break clean and fast within the 1F facets above the TG crust.
December afternoon sunset
Pit wall of our hasty pit. Notice 1F facets above TG crust.
1F facets above TG crust.
Surface conditions are exceptional for the front range right now!