No avalanches observed.
No red flags observed - some localized cracking in small pockets of wind slab formed during Fri-Sun winds.
Observation: Other Regions
Location: Juneau - North Douglas Island - Mt Troy & Ben Stewart
Alaska Avalanche School Level 2 General observations from Sunday. One group toured around Mt Ben Stewart, another group to Mt Troy.
Note: Juneau does not have a public observations platform, but the course was looking at CNFAIC observation format as a template, so we wanted to submit obs here as a one time deal.
Observer Comments
Weather
Sunny.
Temps in high 20s.
Winds light to moderate from NE, stronger above 2500'.
No new precipitation.
Snow surface
.5-2cm surface hoar at most elevations, but flattened out by wind on many places.
Variable surface conditions included:
5cm of soft faceted snow on bullet proof base;
5-15cm wind slabs;
breakable boilerplate crust
fully scoured rock and/or ice hard rain/rime crust. Strongest wind effects above 2000'.
Ski quality was poor to mediocre - but views were amazing. It is always worthwhile to get out on a tour!
Snowpack
Average snow depth 150-200cm, but were able to find thinner spots for testing.
Most prominent snowpack feature crust/facet combos from Jan 14-15 & Jan 24-19 thaw/rain events. Stout and locked in snowpack.
Mt Troy:
Super varied snowpack depending on aspect to wind.
Most interesting observation was finding reactive chained depth hoar at 3000' on south facing ridge top pocket (HS 90cm). It failed while isolating columns on both CT and ECT tests (CTV, ECTPV).
Windslabs that were sitting on faceted soft old snow were very discontinued and not as touchy as we would have thought displaying moderate strength and moderate propagation propensity despite the poor structure.
Mt Ben Stewart:
Varied and very scoured on N/NW slopes and windscoured with isolated wind slabs on E slopes. Windslabs were more reactive on this tour, with ECTV result.
Cool to find fully developed chained depth hoar in supposedly maturing maritime snowpack. This layer has become moist and seems to be healing, but it was reactive on our tests.
Compression test that failed on isolation, followed by extended column test doing the same. Southerly shallow pocket (HS 90cm).
Varied surface conditions from sastrugi to stout rain crust to boilerplate breakable crust on most places.