Clear skies and calm winds. Upper-level clouds started moving in late in the afternoon. It was very warm in the sun, and I saw water dripping off of a steep sunny face of a wind lip at around 3400'.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Seattle Ridge
Traveled around the Seattle Ridge back bowls, headwall, and front side. Clear skies, calm winds, and good stability made for a fun day. Solar aspects were getting warm in the afternoon, with rollerballs falling off of rocks, and wet snow on the surface of the steepest southerly slopes. There were a few small loose wet avalanches that released below rocks within the past day or two.
Weather
Snow surface
Variable. There were a few sheltered slopes with 4-6" soft snow on the surface, others only had a slight dusting on firm wind board. Steep southerly aspects had crusts in the morning, and were wet in the afternoon.
Snowpack
Today's surfaces will be something to pay attention too as the next storm approaches. Surface hoar and near-surface facets are sitting on top of firm wind-blown surfaces on most shaded aspects, and on sun crusts on most solar aspects. It seems as though a lot of the surface hoar has been knocked down by the wind over the past two days, but it is still there all the way up to the ridgetops.
Natural wet loose avalanches from the past day or two. 03.08.2021
Rollerballs on a south-facing slope looking down into the New World drainage. 03.08.2021
Another beautiful day in the Chugach National Forest! 03.08.2021