Detailed Observation
Date | 2022-01-25 |
Location | Valdez |
Observer | Gareth Brown |
Avalanche | N |
General Observations
1/25- Catchers Mitt to 2900’- OVC/ Moderate south wind with moderate snow transport along ridges/ light snow
Collapsing- No
Shooting Cracks- Yes, windloaded test slopes produced shooting cracks a meter in length
Avalanches- No, did not hike or ski on slopes steeper than 30° and very poor visibility prevented any look at the mountains
Found 20 cms (8 inches) of moist storm snow from sunday/monday on top of a 2 cm rain crust in protected areas. In areas exposed to wind new snow depth was variable. Wind slabs had formed on the lee side of terrain features in areas exposed to southeast wind. These were reactive to human triggers on test slopes with fresh wind lips failing up to 1.5 feet deep.
In a snowpit at 2900’ found 65 cms of settled storm snow since 1/19 to be right side up with with poor snow structure beneath. Pit results produced ECTN5 down 10 cms and ECTN12 down 25 cms.
Snowpack height was 165cms.