No obvious red flags.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Repeat offender-Seattle ridge
DOT snow stake lot to Seattle ridge via common snowmachine uptrack.
Observer Comments
Weather
36F at 900'
25F at 2900'
Winds light from the SE, snowing lightly above ~1500'. Raining lightly below.
Snow surface
900' - 1500': Moist, breakable crust.
1500' - 2900': 1-4" dense powder (consistent) on top of a supportable crust. Some wind scouring and a rime crust above about 2700' and toward the ridge.
Snowpack
We set out to get some early season indicators of snowpack structure on the repeat offender avalanche path. Generally we found a moist snowpack that is drying out with elevation gained. The Thanksgiving rain crust is present and seems to be fairly widespread to about 2500' with 1-4" of new snow sticking well to it. Above 2500' we found a stout rime crust, again with 1-4" of dense new snow. We found a layer of facets at the ground in both pits, again drying out with elevation.
Pit#1 @ 2500' HS 70cm
-ECTP15 in mid pack.
Pit #2 @ 2900'. HS 70cm
-ECTP11,15 at the ground (facets)
Looking South over the Turnagain pass flats. The base at the Pass is shaping up nicely, just need some colder temps!
Snowpack structure at 2500' on Repeat offender.
Surface conditions on the sunny side. Consistent boot top pow above ~2200'.
Playing the 'rime crust air guitar' on Seattle ridge for anybody who'll listen.
Extreme sledding on Seattle ridge. A new user group?