Observation: Turnagain

Location: Turnagain Pass Road Obs

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Road obs to Johnson Pass north trailhead. The main takeaway from today was that there was widespread avalanching in steep, channeled terrain during the recent storm cycle.

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)?No
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?No
Observer Comments

As noted in the road observations yesterday, all channeled terrain on Seattle Ridge had fresh avalanche debris at the south end of Turnagain Pass. Of note was a slide on Seattle Ridge near Bertha Creek that stepped down into older weak layers. Almost all slide paths along the Seward Highway (MP87, MP85, MP83.5, MP 83) had fresh avalanche debris (nothing new since yesterday though). Loose wet avalanches noted on the west face of Magnum (spotted yesterday, but visibility was poor). Avalanches noted on the west face of Lipps, Pete's North, Pete's South, and Sunburst's north side.

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

1400: 37 degrees F Girdwood, NO precipitation
1411: 39 degrees F Portage Rd Junction, NO precipitation
1420: 36 degrees F Eddie's pullout, NO precipitation
1426: 35 degrees F Motorized lot, NO precipitation
1500: 35 degrees F Sunburst lot, NO precipitation
1504: 37 degrees F Johnson Pass north TH, NO precipitation
1520: 36 degrees F Center Ridge lot, NO precipitation
1525: 36 degrees F, Tincan pullout, light rain
1600: 39 degrees F MP82 raining hard

Light N-NE wind observed in Turnagain Pass.

Snow surface

Zero snow remains at sea level. Snow at ~1000' (motorized lot, Center Ridge, etc.) is wet. At the Sunburst lot, an ~1cm crust was noted on the surface - indicative of escaping long wave radiation via the slightly clearing skies. Boot pen at the Sunburst lot was knee deep. At the south end of the Pass, widespread heather / tussocks / tundra are visible through the ever-thinning snowpack.

Snowpack

Snow line was lower at the north end of the Pass, hovering at about 1300 ft on Tincan. At the south end of the pass, it appeared to be slightly higher, at about 1500 ft.

Photos & Video
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