| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Chugach State Park
Location: South Fork of Eagle River- Harp Mountain (Southern Aspect)
Parked at base of Harp Mountain, followed shoulder holding elevation at ~740ft around to the hanging valley south of Harp, carefully picked our way up a couloir on the southern aspect of Harp.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Significant collapse (I may have peed a little) at ~1400 ft on a southern aspect of Harp in a concave bowl just below the ridge. Collapse occurred within the basal facets.
Weather
Sky broken trending to overcast.
No precipitation.
Winds calm/light trending to light with moderate gusts.
Light snow transport.
Snow surface
Wind Effect: Obvious signs of wind transport (ridges stripped bare and significant cross loading in the couloirs), inconsistent and relatively small (~6 ft wide) wind slabs ranging from 3-12 inches in thickness throughout the tour, minimal energy present (ie no shooting cracks).
Noted a concave, slightly steeper bowl at approximately 1400' on S aspect of harp that was more heavily wind loaded.
Snowpack
Overall, snowpack was quite thin (.5'-3') and extremely wind effected. Layers found in a hand pit: thin and variable wind slab on top of mixed precipitation particles on top of thicker, more robust wind slab over basal facets. Bummer...
Upper elevation bands of snow showed signs of top loading as well as cross loading, resulting in a larger slab- this is where our party experienced a significant collapse (no fracturing).