Observation: Turnagain

Location: Tincan

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Tincan Common via standard uptrack

Red Flags
Red flags are simple visual clues that are a sign of potential avalanche danger. Please record any sign of red flags below.
Observer Comments

The glide crack is still present over the Seattle Ridge repeat offender avalanche path - see photo below.

Periods of moderate snow transport off high ridge lines in the vicinity
Some light snow transport from southwest winds on CFR ridge/Tincan Common high point

Weather & Snow Characteristics
Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.
Weather

Temps in the 20s, Overcast skies with valley fog obscuring Tincan and views of neighboring peaks in the AM
A good window of broken skies mid afternoon... before clouds came back in when we left
Light South winds at and above treeline, transitioning to SW by mid afternoon
Moments of moderate SW winds at Tincan Common highpoint ridgeline

Snow surface

2-3" of new snow overnight, fairly low density at lower elevations, with ski penetration of ~6"
Yesterday's moist snow dried out overnight, leaving a very thin crust under this new snow up to 1200'
At and above treeline winds made the new snow denser, with 2-4" ski penetration

Snowpack

Hand shear tests along the route would break with easy to moderate force in wind stiffened locations, but often with an uneven interface.
No cracking or collapsing, even when breaking trail up the final pitch to the Tincan Common high point and when jumping on small wind loaded features. See below for data from two pits. At treeline, we found the new snow to be right side up, and not propagating in stability tests. Above treeline, we dug in a wind scoured location to evaluate the structure - specifically of potential weak layers above and below the New Years Crust - that may be present in isolated locations of the high alpine. Overall, the snowpack had poorer structure compared to areas with a thicker snowpack due to weaker faceted layers above and below the New Years Crust, but we found no propagating results in stability tests.

Photos & Video
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