Observation: Turnagain

Location: Tincan to 2400'

Date:

February 3, 2016 8:33pm

Observer:

H. Thamm Professional

Route & General Observations

Primary focus was on new snow bonding with the old snow/crust from Jan.26-28 storm last week. Due to poor visibility and blowing snow we only made it to 2400′. In the protected trees we found generally good bonding between the new/old snow and crust. At 2400′ winds were transporting snow and we could feel a density change at this elevation where the snow was denser on the surface. Small cracking (1′) around skis and just above an unsupported skin track. No other obvious signs were observed, but due to lack of visibility we were not able to see into Alpine.

Red Flags

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Observer Comments

None observed

Weather & Snow Characteristics

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

Weather

Snowfall S2 (1"/hour)
Skies were obscured
Winds were Moderate from the NE
Temps - 32F at parkinglot
Rain/snow line was near 900' just below Sunburst parking, raining at Johnson Pass T.H.

Snow surface

1000' - 5" wet snow on crust
1300' - 8" heavy snow on crust
2000' - 10" new snow on old snow
2400' - wind deposited snow 4-20" sitting on stout crust.

Snowpack

At 1000' heavy wet snow was not bonding well with the crust below on steep test slopes, becoming 'pushable' - found buried surface hoar sitting on this crust in a few places, but not everywhere.

1300' - 2000' -Did many hand sheer tests with little to no results between between new snow/old snow/crust below. On underside of crust melt forms were moist.

2400' - Could feel a density change on the surface where winds were depositing snow, with 1' cracking around skis.

Pit at 2200', SW aspect, 26* slope, see photo diagram. The old snow sitting on the crust was composed of mixed forms (<.5mm) and was not reactive in tests. CTN, ECTX. In Shovel Tilt Test- one to two taps could see a slight density change in top 15cm of new snow.

Photos & Video

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Snow pit at 2200' on Tincan

Test slope produced 6" sluffs with ski cut

Shovel Tilt Test - with one to two taps revealed a density change within the top 6" of new snow.

Winds were drifting snow around buried trees at 2300'

At 1300' on Tincan 8" of new snow was covering the hard crust formed during the Jan.26-28 storm

Location

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