Sugarloaf

Took a quick tour over to Sugarloaf Peak to see how yesterday's brief period of moderate wind affected the snowpack near Port Valdez. Recent storm snow was redistributed through the area but was not observed to be slabby. Its depth ranged from just a few centimeters to almost a foot in wind-drifted areas. Old buried surfaces below the storm snow were mostly rain crusts and old wind slabs. Both of these were breaking down and adding to the poor structure of our low-elevation snowpack. Rain crusts would easily crumble when picked up and isolated areas of old windslab that were previously hard and locked up were now cracking for short distances underfoot. Although no hazards were associated with these layers that may change if they are buried by storm snow or fresh wind slabs in the future. 

No signs of instability in the area.