Observation: Turnagain

Location: Tincan - Hippy and Common Bowls

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Tincan uptrack to hippy bowl, down via common bowl and trees to the north.

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

Several glide cracks have released on Tincan just below treeline; others have formed on both Eddies and Tincan, all around 1500' in elevation.

Small loose snow sluffs appear to be skier triggered off a steep (40-45 degree) southern aspect above Hippy Bowl - see photo below - but they didn't run far or entrain a lot of snow.

No cracking or collapsing or other recent avalanche activity observed. No wind transport observed in the valley today.

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

Clear and cold! Temperatures near 0f, warming to 7f midday at the top of common bowl. Calm, except for a light south wind at the top of common. A low band of clouds occasionally covered Turnagain Arm.

Snow surface

6-8" of soft, faceting snow over a denser base which varied in thickness depending on elevation. This soft surface was observed even at the top of common, the portion of the common bowl closest to the skin track, and in hippy bowl. Winds have transported snow in the northern part of common bowl, scouring some areas and leaving small, semi-supportable and supportable wind slabs in others, which never cracked except just underfoot. 1-2mm surface hoar was observed below treeline in sheltered locations, never sitting on a hard crust or wind layer.

Photos & Video
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