| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Seward
Location: Snug Harbor to Martin Creek
Rode from Snug Harbor, through Boulder Creek and into the Martin Creek drainage.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Rapid warming mid and upper elevations.
Small wet loose avalanches on steep south facing slopes from the very warm and sunny conditions today.
Weather
Sunny, warm with light and variable winds. Temps seemed to reach near 30F at 2,500' and staying in the 20'sF at lower elevations.
Snow surface
Heavily wind affected snow surface mid and upper elevations (scouring to rocks/old snow, sastrugi, wind crust, old hard wind drifts)
Lower elevations soft settled snow 4-8" (near surface faceted snow)
*Sun crust on southerly aspects
Snowpack
Old wind slab avalanches noted from wind event on 2/21. Some of these older slabs were quite large, sizes ranges from D1-2.5.
One pit: 2,300', N, 20 degree
ECTN 13 down 15cm (6") on old precip particles
ECTN 18 down 25cm (10") on small facets under wind crust
ECTX on MLK buried surface hoar that sat 65cm (26")
These pit results show good stability in the snowpack.
Old large wind slab in Martin Creek. Easterly facing slope. The initial slab near the upper rocky shoulder pulled out several additional slabs below.
Snow pit at 2,300. Tests showed stable snow. The MLK buried surface hoar can be seen 2' down as the thin gray line.
MLK buried surface hoar seen on the bottom of the slab that is turned over. Although this layer is hard to miss, it is not reactive currently.
Close up of the MLK buried surface hoar
Mt Ascension, looking SE
Surface conditions