Detailed Observation
Date | 2020-02-24 |
Location | Valdez |
Observer | Gareth Brown |
Avalanche | N |
General Observations
2/24: Gully 1 up to 4500', NW-NE aspect, 5° F at the road, light to moderate north east winds with moderate to strong snow transport on high peaks and ridges. Clear, no precip.
Collapsing: No. Shooting Cracks: Yes, up to 10' long on lee sides of terrain features. Avalanches: Yes, Natural observed on the North face of Goodwills' ~5500', D-2.5, 200-300' wide ran to the bottom of the slope ~600', crown ~5' deep.
Found 10-30 cms of 1 finger windslab over fist hard snow on lee sides of terrain features. In other areas found snow that was lightly eroded by wind.
At 4500' NW aspect 32° slope, stability tests produced ECTP11 down 20 cms.
At 3000' a ski cut released a 30' wide section of cornice on a test slope that triggered a small windslab pocket.