Observation: Turnagain

Location: Lipps

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Toured around W and S aspects of Lipps from creek to ridge top, moderate to heavy snow transport throughout day. Snowpack was noticeably thinner than the N end of the pass, approach required some booting to get above tree line. Small natural windslab releases were visible on N face of Pete’s and W facing chute on Lipps. No other red flags observed.

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

Bluebird skies, temps were 20's at car and 10's in alpine. Moderate to heavy loading of S and E aspects.

Snow surface

Settled powder below 2500', typical mix of sastrugi, heady pow and windboard above 2500'.

Snowpack

Measured snow depths: 100 cm, 88 cm, and 70 cm @ 2590'. Lots of thin pockets and rock near ridge top.
Snow pit on loaded S aspect @ 2590' revealed a wet and rounded base, the only layer of concern being 4 cm of 4F decomposing grains below the recent melt freeze crust. We yielded an ECTN16 and ECTN18 on this layer below the crust, new snow appeared well-bonded to the top of crust.
Small basal facets still exist above 2900', although we observed no red flags. Pit profile below:
We found the fresh wind slabs from yesterday and today's winds to be largely unreactive.

Photos & Video
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