A bluebird day. At 1500 was 10F with winds calm
Observation: Chugach State Park
Location: Glen Alps - Chugach Front Range
Plan was to check out the effects of the 2/24 storm event in this part of the Chugach Front Range. Departed Glen Alps PL at 1300 and toured SE through the meadows area on the north aspect of Blueberry Knoll. Made a loop over and around Blueberry Knoll and back to the PL by 1700. Observed no signs of recent avalanches in my viewshed. Noted fresh ski tracks in Little O’Malley gully (pic) and also on west aspect of Blueberry knoll.
Weather
Snow surface
In the mdw flats in protected areas found 20 cm of new very skiable fluff from 2/24 storm event on top of a 50 cm firm base. 1mm surface hoar froming on steller snow crystals. Ridgetops were a different story. Wind probably late during 2/24 storm event had transported ridgetop snow into drifts up to several feet deep. Signs of wind transport on NW aspect of Flattop (pic). Though calm today, during the storm event of 2/24 the Glen Alps weather station recorded SE wind gusts up to 28mph.
Snowpack
Ski cutting of steep rollovers in mdws area produced no results. Did pit at 2421 ft on NE aspect of Blueberry in lee of hemlocks at treeline.(profile attached). Got STH to ground and CTN. Pit temp profile showed 1.5C temp change/10cm of snow thickness. According to the literature, this is just over the minimum temperature gradient required to form faceted at depth.
Little O'Malley gully with ski tracks.
Wind sculpted snow Blueberry ridgetop
NW aspect of Flattop showing effects of winds during 2/24/2024 storm event
Snow profile NE aspect Blueberry Knoll