| Trigger | Natural | Remote Trigger | 0 |
| Avalanche Type | Hard Slab | Aspect | Northeast |
| Elevation | 3200ft | Slope Angle | unknown |
| Crown Depth | 24in | Width | 200ft |
| Vertical Run | 800ft |
Avalanche: Turnagain
Location: Sunburst - Weather Station
Successful trip up to the Sunburst weather station for needed maintenance. Station data is up and running again! We ascended the SW ridge and returned down Taylor Pass.
Yesterday’s winds absolutely hammered the place. Details below.
Avalanche Details
Yesterday's Southerly winds along the non-motorized side of Turnagain Pass loaded and triggered several slab avalanches on Northerly aspects yesterday. Weak layers suspect to be facets/BSH in the mid-pack and/or facets near the ground.
Two recent avalanches off the North aspects of Magnum that looked to be triggered from the wind event yesterday. Details above are for the larger of the two, just West of Taylor Pass. Photos and descriptions below.
All other avalanche activity was old and from the Christmas cycle. The slopes below the weather station looked to have slid during the Christmas cycle and old debris ran almost to valley floor.
Observer Comments
Significant wind effect from yesterday and overnight.
Weather
Overcast with a few sucker holes. Temps in mid to upper 20'sF. Winds light and variable.
Snow surface
Did I mention the winds? Very little soft snow to be found on our route. Yesterday's winds have stripped areas to the ground, formed drifts you may need a chainsaw to cut into, rock hard to almost rock hard sastrugi and formed a hard wind crusts on loose snow in the flats. (But really, some soft snow has prevailed down low in gullies.)
Snowpack
Hard wind slabs over a variety of weak layers formed during the clear/cold spells of Nov and Dec (mid-pack facets, basal facets and buried surface hoar). The wind slabs in the Sunburst area were quite variable, 2+' drifts to only a few inches.
Magnum NW ridge - Avalanche on North aspect, believed to have released yesterday and older avalanche activity. This ridge is a common up-route to enter the Southerly aspects of Magnum.
Larger natural avalanche off the North aspect of Magnum. Thought to have slid 12/30 with the wind event. This is further back, just West of Taylor Pass. Debris ran into creek drainage and up the other side. D2.5/3.
Small wind slab pocket on North aspect of Sunburst, also believed to have been a natural wind slab from yesterday's winds.
Wind effect (including scouring) on the SW slopes of Sunburst
More wind effect on Sunbrust
And, more wind effect with descent track under the scoured cornice.
One of those days where booting the steeper sections of the ridge was more efficient...
Hopefully Sunburst weather station is good to go for the rest of the season!