Tincan Trees | Chugach Avalanche Center

Avalanche Details

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Trigger	unintentional	Remote Trigger	0
Avalanche Type	0	Aspect	West
Elevation	2000ft	Slope Angle	unknown
Crown Depth	24in	Width	unknown
Vertical Run	unknown

Avalanche Details

Several 2' thick storm slab avalanches were triggered by skiers today in the Tincan Trees. Including one triggered remotely from our party.

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?	Yes
Collapsing (Whumphing)?	Yes
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?	Yes

Observer Comments

One could add "Rapid Loading" to this list of obvious signs. A lot of snow has piled up today and is very touchy.

All the human triggered avalanche activity observed was on short slopes in "small terrain". One of these piled debris on the bench below enough to bury a person. In "larger terrain" these 2+' storm snow slabs would be large and dangerous.

Collapsing (whoomphing) and shooting cracks were the norm.

Weather & Snow Characteristics

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

Weather

Snowing 2" an hour for the better part of the day.
Obscured skies, no visibility.
Winds were light from the East near the top of treeline and light from the North along the Pass.
Temperatures were in the upper 20's F and climbing slightly during the afternoon.

Snow surface

Treeline: 24" of new medium density snow (and counting)
Parking lot: 20" of new higher density snow (and counting)

Snowpack

Instability within the snowpack is confined to the new snow and old snow interface. The avalanching and cracking was occurring in the old faceted snow that sits just under the new snow. See photo. In areas with no old faceted snow (where the pre-existing surface was hard) the failure point was in the new snow just above the old hard surface.

Regardless of the weakest layer being either above or below the new/old snow interface - too much snow too fast = avalanche activity. Great to see so much snow out there!

Photos & Video

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