| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Lipps south face
Toured up to Lipps via the normal up track to check out the Glide crack avalanche on the south face. The avalanche is massive with cooler to bowling ball size blocks being the predominant debris along with a number of car to truck size blocks throughout the path. Crown face was estimated to be about 125 – 150′ across with depths from 6′ to 2′. The debris ran about 1000′ in elevation and started to snake down the drainage in the valley bottom. If you have any doubt about how powerful a glide crack avi can be check out the photos!
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Other than the glide crack avalanche there were no other obvious signs of instability.
Weather
Mostly clear skies with very dense valley fog that moved around most of the day. Top of fog varied from about 1900' to the top of the ridge at times. Temps were in the mid to low 20s during most of the day. Winds were light coming from the E.
Snow surface
Road to ~1200' very hard rain/melt freeze crust w/ 2" loose snow on top
1200' to 2500' 2"-3" light snow over dense older snow
2500' up variable 2"-5" over mostly wind buffed and wind slab surface
Snowpack
No formal or informal test done. Upper layers of the pack are dense and consolidated. Ski penetration variable w/ a little penetration to a few inches.
Looking up at the crown of Glide Avalanche - Lipps
Lipps - Debris runout heading down drainage
Lipps- large debris field
Lipps - Massive blocks in the debris
Lipps - Toe of slide as it heads down drainage (this is where many people stop to put skins on!!)