Small storm snow instabilities on steep terrain above 3,000'.
No other recent avalanche observed, cracking or whumphing.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Seattle Ridge
Turnagain pass motorized lot to common snowmachine up-track to Seattle ridge. Plan was to head to the Seattle ridge weather station for some maintenance but despite great visibility, conditions on the ridge were to deep for Wendy and I to make much progress…. Note: This is a good problem to have!
Observer Comments
Weather
4-6" of new snow at the parking lot, temperature was 28F at 1K.
8-10" new snow at 2500', temperature was 23F. Winds were light, less than 10mph.
Snow surface
4-6" new at Turnagain pass.
8-10" new snow above about 2200'.
Surface was soft powder. Snow quality is excellent right now.
Snowpack
Pit# (video): 2400' East aspect. HS= 155 cm. ECTX, CT25 Resistant planar.
Top half of the snowpack is above the Thanksgiving rain crust at this elevation. New snow over facets that appear to continue to round out (gain strength). We found the buried surface hoar layer (from 12/6) but it's mostly laid over and hard to distinguish. It's suspect that this layer is still in-tact in some sheltered areas around the Pass. Bottom half of the snowpack is comprised of about a 40cm ice crust (Thanksgiving) and below that is a moist, pencil hard layer to the ground.
Pit#2: 3200' SW aspect. HS= 200cm. ECTX
No crust present. Very right side up snowpack with only crystal-type changes throughout. Snowpack was topped by some beautiful in-tact dendrites!
Wendy looking for signs of buried surface hoar.
Snowpack structure @ 2roo' on Seattle ridge
Headed for the weather station, we were turned around by snow on the ridge that was too deep for our early season riding abilities.
Snow coverage just outside the parking lot. Thanks to everyone for staying off of 'Rookie Hill'.