Observation: Turnagain

Location: Turnagain pass

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Weather
Temps: 36-42F between Girdwood and Portage Valley. 32 degrees at Turnagain Pass.
Raining in Girdwood, partly sunny South of Girdwood and thru Turnagain pass
Winds: Light (Moderate in Portage Valley)
Skies: partly sunny

Road obs today with lots of glassing of slopes between Girdwood Valley, Portage Valley and Turnagain pass. Only signs of
instability were in the Portage valley above Explorer Glacier (see photos). Observed three D1.5 – D3 avalanches
in the same drainage. All start zones were West aspect, mid-slope in very steep terrain at about 2,200’.

Turnagain pass showed many wind-scoured ridges and plenty of textured, cross-loaded slopes from 2+
days of sustained moderate to strong winds. Fitz traveled up Sunburst today to investigate the wind slab
in the alpine and end 2014 with some ‘variable’ turns on his day off!

Notes and video below from Fitz today:
Variable snow surface conditions on Sunburst.
Test results:
ECTN14, 8″ down- this is the newest wind slab, averaging 8-10″ in this zone
ECTP21 SC – this failed on buried surface hoar 2 feet down. (see video)
Also had ECTP 22 SP on same BSH layer.

Photos & Video
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