Observation: Chugach State Park

Location: Glen Alps, Chugach Front Range

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

From Glen Alps PL skied for one mile along NE flank of Blueberry Knoll.

Red Flags
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Observer Comments

Ski cutting of NW-facing cornices produced short runout slides averaging slabs 10-20cm thick.

Weather & Snow Characteristics
Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.
Weather

Very windy in afternoon with mostly overcast skies. SE winds avg 15mph with gusts to 25mph. Considerable blowing snow observing tour. Snow plumes seen streaming off Flattop Mtn and Blueberry Knoll. See 02/05/21 observation of significant slide in Blueberry Knoll area on CNFAIC observations site.

Snow surface

Snow surface was mixed bag varying from wind board in exposed areas and loose snow, consisting of rounds/SH mix in lee of areas protected by vegetation. Abundant snow drifts in lee of vegetation (pic). Cornices forming on lee slopes due to considerable wind transport of snow (video).

Snowpack

Snowpack. Did pit at 2486ft on NE flank of Blueberry Knoll. HS = 94cm; Top down: (94cm-72), F-4F SH rounds mix; (72-68), P M/F crust; (68-64), 1F rounding facets; (64-60), PM/F crust; (60-38), P-K, mix of rounding facets and M/F crust; (38-13), P large rounding facets; (13-0), 4Flarge rounding facets.
STH@50cm, STE to grd. CTN. Ski cuts along cornices downslope from site of pit, produced small soft slab slides 10-20cm thick. Slabs slid on buried SH (pic).

Photos & Video
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