Finally a very tiny sucker hole allowed for a little visibility on Turnagain Pass.
Several natural avalanches were seen that released sometime during the past
several days. Most likely right around Dec 30th. Photos are not great but you
can pick out the crowns. These are large avalanches with crown depths ~4-8′ deep.
There was never good enough viz around Eddies/Tincan/Sunburst to get a good look
on that side.
Highlights of the recent activity:
Seattle Ridge front side (east facing slope – photo)
Corn Biscuit West and SW face
Magnum West face
Pete’s South entire SW facing slope
Lynx Creek – several crowns on upper elevation slopes
Bowl just west of Lynx (photo)
Twin Peaks south facing planar slope (photo)
4940 south facing bowl
Above treeline:
The winds have raked the upper elevations and moved quite a bit of snow around.
Scoured to the rocks in places and loaded slopes in others.
Below treeline:
wet and saturated snow was sitting under a crust formed by the rain on snow 12/30.
Red flags:
Recent avalanches
Poor pit results (photo and video)
Wind transport on the high peaks (east winds)
No cracking/collapsing
Weather observations:
Broken skies with snow and light winds picking up in the afternoon.
Around 5″ of new snow at 2500′ from overnight.
Large natural avalanche with wide progagation in drainage just west of Lynx Creek drainage. Hard to see entire crown.
Twin Peaks east face natural avalanche and wide propagation as well. Crown continues to lookers left out of view
Debris below one of the east facing gullies of Seattle Ridge on the motorized side of Turnagain Pass. Large and wet.
Wet slabs from 12-30-2012 rain on snow. East side of Seattle Ridge around 1300'.
Tincan - image 5