Observation: Turnagain

Location: Tincan, Treeline

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Standard Approach towards Treeline to assess recent storm snow and evaluate snowpack stability.
Conducted one test pit and skied multiple laps within treeline with no incident. Very obvious wind scouring on adjacent ridge lines (Eddies, Sunburst, Seattle Ridge, and Tincan Common Bowl Approach ridge).

Red Flags
Red flags are simple visual clues that are a sign of potential avalanche danger. Please record any sign of red flags below.
Obvious signs of instability
Recent Avalanches?No
Collapsing (Whumphing)?Yes
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?Yes
Observer Comments

In addition to 2-4cm of fresh storm snow, ski partners encountered sporadic, feature-based cracking on pillows and edges of convex rollovers. Fresh storm slabs, wind slabs, and persistent weak layers ( SBSH/CBSH) were our focus/ LOC.
Whumphing encountered during skinning within treeline, 2,000ft+.

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

11:00-Scattered skies with pockets of blue, light wind from East, 31°F, No Precipitation @1,000ft
11:45- OVC, S-1, Light wind from East, VF (1,200-1,800ft)
15:30-OVC, S1, Light wind from East, VF (1,200-1,800ft)

Trending: Storm moving in from Turnagain Arm, throughout the E&W aspects of Turnagain Pass

Snow surface

2cm of fresh stellar dendrites/ needles at 1,500-2,000ft
4-5cm of fresh stellar dendrites/ needles at 2,000-2,200ft
Upside-Down feel in sporadic areas, but overall, supportable and moist Powder in most areas we encountered.

Snowpack

11:45
Location: Tincan, Treeline, 100m NW of CNFAIC WX STN
Incline: 28°, 30°F, W Aspect, EL 2,225 ft, OVC, Light Wind from East, S-1,
Ski/Boot Pen: 30/60cm

HS180cm
Tests:
STM@52cm down on rounds, decomposing
STM@ 86cm down on CBSH (LOC)
CT5 Q2 22cm down on Stellar dendrites*
CT12 Q3 SC 52cm down on Stellar dendrites*
CT20 Q2 SC 65cm down on Columns, rounds
ECTX
* same column

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