Detailed Observation
Date | 2021-04-01 |
Location | Valdez |
Observer | Gareth Brown |
Avalanche | N |
General Observations
4/1- Iguana Backs up to 4500’/ W-N aspects/ Partly Cloudy.
Collapsing: No
Shooting Cracks: No
Avalanches: Yes. Saw a natural hard slab avalanche on a west aspect halfway up an apron (4000′)/~38° slope/ 100 meters wide ran 200′ vertical to a flat bench. Crown ranged from 50-100 cms, and failed on 1-2mm near surface facets. HS was 115 cms at a thin section of the crown (55cms). Looked as though a moderate sized sluff triggered the slide. HS-N-R2 D2-O
In the valley found 10cms of warm new snow atop hard wind affected snow with facets beneath. Above 3000′ new snow was about 15-25 cms deep and was becoming drier. Light NE wind began around 2000′ becoming moderate by 4500′ with 4 finger slabs building on the lee side of terrain features 20-30 cms deep.