Observation: Turnagain

Location: Magnum-PMS Bowl

Date:

March 5, 2018 2:00pm

Observer:

A. Johnston-Bloom Professional

Route & General Observations

Toured from the Cornbiscuit parking lot over to Magnum, up to PMS Bowl and the Magnum Ridge

Red Flags

Red flags are simple visual clues that are a sign of potential avalanche danger. Please record any sign of red flags below.

Observer Comments

None observed

Weather & Snow Characteristics

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

Weather

Cloudy, very flat light around noon clearing with some sunshine around 3:30
Temps in the high teens to low 20Fs
Light winds
No precipitation

Snow surface

Trace of new snow
5-10 cm of soft snow

Snowpack

Hand pits at 2000' on small steep slope had the wind slabs failing on buried facets over a crust.
Pit # 1 @ 2400' HS: 170, Pit HS: 80 cm, SW aspect, 22 degrees. Facets over melt freeze crust 50 cm below the surface. Not reactive in this pit.
Pit # 2 @ 3160', HS: 250 cm, Pit HS: 110 cm. SW aspect, 22 degrees. See photo below. After our stability tests we dug to the ground and found 20 cm of moist facets (1F hardness)
Found less wind affected snow than expected.
Sun crust on due south slopes
Interesting note on wind loading. There is the usual Magnum cornice forming over the Southside and there was cornicing on the North side of Cornbiscuit.

Photos & Video

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