Island Alpine Guides: AST 2

Island Alpine Guides AST-2 course: January 19-22 Avalanche Observations: On Sunday morning, a few loose wet avalanches up to size 2 were noted on steep and unsupported terrain from overnight rains and rising freezing lines. On Monday, a ~ 12-hour-old size 2.5 slab avalanche was observed on north-facing high alpine terrain along Mount Abel. Snowpack Summary: At Treeline, the upper snowpack was moist to wet down to 20 to 30 cm to the melt-freeze crust/facet combo. Facets are starting to round out, producing hard compression test results with a broken and resistant planar characteristics-No results on extended column tests. In the alpine, the upper snowpack was dry to moist. On a wind loaded polar aspect, a deep tap test produced hard sudden planner results on the melt-freeze/facet combo down 140 cm. The lower snowpack is composed of a conglomerate of melt-freeze crusts. Snow depths range from 20 to 200 cm between 1200 to 1650 m elevation. Below this elevation, the snow depth tapers quickly and becomes disconnected, revealing extensive patches of exposed ground and vegetation.