Wide spread snow flagging.
No whumphing, as opposed to 3/2 tour in powerline valley.
Observation: Chugach State Park
Location: Rabbit Lake
Consolation turns after bailing from our intended objective.
High Point of 4550’
Observer Comments
Weather
Widespread snow flagging off peaks indicative of NW winds. Particularly strong from 9-10am, before dying down for a few hours, then building back up. The peaks closer to Anchorage seemed to have more snow flagging in the afternoon than the peaks deeper in the Chugach.
Blue skies.
Single digit temps, colder with Wind chill.
Snow surface
Plenty of cold + dry + light snow available for transport. Interestingly, it hung around in the air for a significant amount of time, exaggerating the flagging off peaks, and making for some cool sun dogs.
We did not encounter areas of significant wind loading despite the flagging (maybe it was stuck in the sky? Or we played our aspects just right).
Very good ski quality in protected terrain.
Snow flagging off Peak 3/4 ridge line
Sun dog from all the snow hanging in the air
Wind ripples near Rabbit Lake.