Small to large loose wet avalanches occurred during the last 48 hours on most steep slopes facing southeast through southwest. Intense sun and slope angle of incidence were major contributing factors to this avalanche cycle.
Observation: Hatcher Pass
Location: Sydney Creek
Snowmachined out to Sydney Creek in flat light conditions. We wanted to assess recent wet avalanche activity, snowpack structure, and post warming surface conditions. It was very difficult to see but we did notice numerous small to large loose wet avalanches on southeast through southwest aspects which had occurred over the previous two days. It snowed a trace with intermittent graupel and rimed particles.
Forecaster Comments
Weather
Completely overcast skies with little visibility. No wind and 31F degrees. It snowed intermittently with bouts of graupel at a rate of S-1. Around 3pm the humidity increased as well as the snow intensity around HP Lodge. On the way downhill rain was observed just below the Archangel lot, all rain near Skeetawk.
Snow surface
Highly variable surface conditions from recent sun a warmth. In many locations the surface was covered with a trace on new snow by mid afternoon. The sun induced crust was 1-2cm thick with loose dry snow beneath. The snowpack is melting fast on steep sun prone slopes exposing rock and vegetation.
Snowpack
I dug a snowpit to the ground in Sydney Creek on a northwest aspect. I saw no red flags and the snowpack was right-side-up. I illustrated the snowpack in a photo with no propagating failures in stability tests. In this area rounding facets and rounding depth hoar dominated the subsurface. North facing aspects are not showing the signs of spring like more southern aspects are.
Loose Wet Avalanches near Sydney Creek on southeast aspects 3/22
Natural Loose Wet Avalanches on southern aspects on Gold Cord and Babe Ruth 3/21
Larger Natural Loose Wet Avalanches that crossed skintrack above Babe Ruth on south aspect 3/21
Snowpit dug in Sydney Creek on a northwest aspect at 3200 feet 3/22