Observation: Girdwood

Location: Peterson Creek

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Up Peterson creek, skied southerly aspects and back out.

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

Nothing significant found. Surface snow was more wind effected than what we've seen at Turnagain in the last two days and at times could be locally sensitive but nothing that was substantively concerning. Similar to Turnagain - Glide cracks are present on many faces. Cornices are large and several had recently let loose.

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

Clear, calm, cold.

Snow surface

A mix of powder and wind crust ranging from soft to stiff. We found this setup on all aspects.

Snowpack

Below 500' refrozen crust. Below 1,000' dust on crust. Above 1,500' the crusts disappear but a hard wind slab could be found below the most recent snow. This wind slab could be found on all aspects. We tested it in a pit at 2,900', 31 degree slope, 47 deg off north. Total snow depth was more than the probe, 275cm+. Calling the base of our pit at 0cm -- pencil to 60cm, 1F from 60 to 85, 4F from 85 to 95, pencil from 95 to 99 (wind slab), powder from 99 to 107cm. ECTN26 with the failure at the interface of the wind slab and the 4F density snow. For what it's worth no BSH.

Photos & Video
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