Observation: Turnagain

Location: Tincan

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Tincan uptrack to base of common bowl just above the highest trees.

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

We triggered some shooting cracks on small wind loaded features near treeline.

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

Surprisingly nice weather from 12 - 4 pm during our tour. Light snow flurries during the day but no rain. The winds were transporting a lot of snow along the upper ridgelines on Tincan, Sunburst, Magnum, and Seattle (all the ridges we could see). Winds were occasionally strong enough to transport snow down to treeline.

Snow surface

About 6" of moist snow at the trailhead elevation getting progressively drier above 1500'. The new snow contained much more moisture than the soft snow that it fell on top of. The combination made for kind of sticky feeling skinning and skiing at lower elevations.

Snowpack

We triggered some freshly loaded wind slabs on steep rolls at treeline, but otherwise didn't find any notable weak layers in the snowpack in our pit at 2500'. The upper snowpack was right side up and the facets on top of the new years crust felt stronger than what I have seen in other locations in Turnagain. No propagation in our ECT tests.

Photos & Video
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