Wind transporting snow!!!
In the Turnagain Pass corridor there was no new avalanche activity observed but a lot of old activity that was easier to see the extent of, due to better light and some crowns were almost more accentuated by scouring. There were a few slides in N Cornbiscuit chutes that we are uncertain about how recent they are. They may have been triggered by the winds or older and not yet observed after xmas storm.
We did receive a report of two small natural wind slabs in Zero bowl and two small snowmachine triggered wind slabs in Warm-up(-1 Bowl).
See Heather's observation from today about the natural wind slab cycle in Summit Lake.
No avalanche activity observed in Lynx or looking towards Johnson
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Lynx Creek
Road observations and quick ride up into Lynx Creek to 1300′ for a look around.
We did not go into Lipps today due to high winds and exposure to slopes that haven’t slid yet.
Observer Comments
Weather
Scattered clouds
Strong winds 20-40 mph gusting into the 60's, even felt gusts down in the Lynx drainage
Temps in the 20Fs
Snow surface
2" of new fluffy snow
Snowmachiners reported stiffer snow and wind crust once they popped out of the trees in Lynx.
Snowpack
Dug one quick pit on a small slope above the road. HS:130 cm, 35cm of storm snow (from Xmas to now) over faceted snow, bottomless, boot pen to ground. Snowmachiners who traveled farther up reported the bottomless pack until wind effect was felt. Still easy to sink in after breaking through wind layer. Found one layer of buried surface hoar under new snow (December 24th layer). ECT propagated on the ground in facets on alders...
Wind plumes, Todds
Cross loading on Seattle Ridge
Scouring on Magnum and old crown from xmas storm cycle
Wind effect on Lipps
Lipps skier triggered slide 12.29.16
Another view of Lipps slide
Wind plumes on Petes N
Natural slides N Cornbiscuit, timing uncertain?