| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observation: Chugach State Park
Location: Glen Alps, Chugach Front Range
Left Glen Alps PL at 12:00 and headed up around the NW aspect of Blueberry Knoll. Tried to get some pit data on SW aspect of same but a concrete-like snow surface and gusty East winds drove me back around to the NE aspect of the knoll. Ended up doing a pit on that aspect where winds were not as strong.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Recent wind transport had created minor snow loading on isolated NW aspects of Blueberry Knoll. Got shooting cracks and extra-large 10 cm-thick pizza boxes during ski cutting on steeper slopes (pic).
Weather
Windy and overcast with SE winds gusting to 20mph at the Glen Alps weather station. Intermittent snow showers late in the afternoon (S-1). Winds causing light snow transport. Peaks became obscured by clouds in late afternoon. At 1500 was 32deg.
Snow surface
Typical front range snow surface with loose snow in protected areas at lower elevations and concrete-like snow surface on ridgetops and exposed areas. This made traversing on skis difficult at higher elevations.
Snowpack
Recent wind transport had created minor snow loading on isolated NW aspects. Got shooting cracks and extra-large 10 cm-thick pizza boxes during ski cutting on steeper slopes (pic).
Extremely hard snow surface and gusty winds did not allow for pit work on southern aspects. Ended up doing a pit at 2345ft on NE aspect of Blueberry Knoll (profile attached). HS = 102cm. Got CT21Q2 on an MF layer@17cm down. ECTN@22 on same layer.
ViewSToFlattopFromNE aspect BlueberryKnoll
shooting cracksNWaspectBlueberryKnoll
Snow profileNE aspectBlueberry Knoll