Avalanche: Turnagain

Location: Tincan

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Tincan to 2900′ (the dog leg before the final part up to Tincan Common)

Avalanche Details
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Trigger UnknownRemote Trigger Unknown
Avalanche Type UnknownAspect Unknown
ElevationunknownSlope Angleunknown
Crown DepthunknownWidthunknown
Vertical Rununknown  
Avalanche Details

Recent wet loose avalanches from days prior and today on Seattle Ridge, D1 - 1.5 in size
Some smaller new wet loose activity on the north end of Seattle Ridge by the time we left at 2 PM, with the sun still cooking things...

Red Flags
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Obvious signs of instability
Recent Avalanches?Yes
Collapsing (Whumphing)?No
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?No
Observer Comments

Recent wet loose avalanches from days prior and today on Seattle Ridge, D1 - 1.5 in size
Some smaller new wet loose activity on the north end of Seattle Ridge by the time we left at 2 PM, with the sun still cooking things...
A few fairly recent glide releases, as previously reported on Eddies, and Seattle Ridge, potentially Sharks Fin as well
One small skier triggered D1 on Tincan Common face from the past two days, with the debris looking shallow and likely moist (photo below)

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

THE SUN WOW. 40s down low, and probably near freezing at 2900' midday.
Broken high clouds with sun casting shadows most of the morning.. moments of thicker clouds in the early afternoon.
Occasional light winds from the east.

Snow surface

A trace to 1cm of new snow overnight.
The snow surface was rapidly changing throughout the day, depending on aspect and slope angle due to the sun
At 1500' at 11 AM, a NW aspect had a 2" thick firm crust whereas a steep SE aspect had no crust and wet grains in the top 4"
Even in the morning, areas getting any sun at all - even west aspects getting just a little - were already softening
Runnels present on solar aspects below 1800', as pictured below
At our high point of 2900', a NNW feature had a fragile 1cm thick melt freeze crust from melting the day prior

Snowpack

See snowpit structure and results below from 2900', where on a northerly aspect the snowpack was dry @ 2 PM

When we descended around 2 PM (with warming/sun still ramping up after we left):
Below 1300', the recent snow was wet melt forms on solar aspects with ski penetration of 2-4"
Between 1300' - 1800', the recent snow was moist to wet melt forms below a 3-6cm breakable crust
Between 1800' - 2500', the recent snow was moist decomposing grains below a 1-3cm breakable crust
Between 2500' - 2900', a 1-3cm breakable crust was over dry recent snow. This elevation band included flat areas/generally West/NW aspect
At 2900', a thin crust from warming during the days prior was present on a NNW aspect.

Photos & Video
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