Snow in Lutak

great snow conditions although increasing loading and continued touchiness kept us in mellow terrain all day. Found 20-25cm of F new snow, more in wind favoured gullies and depressions to a maximum of 50cm. Hand shears have easily and revealed reactive layers within the storm snow. Underlaying the new snow is a layer of 15-20 cm of 4f decomposing forms and small facets. Under that layer is a marked transition to 2-3mm large grain F hardness facets interspersed with the final remanants of a few crusts. Made note of 3 naturally triggered avalanches, all presumed running at the interface between the new snow and the decomposing forms beneath on a thin layer of buried near surface facets. N-NE aspects, crown 20-50cm, sz2, above 2000ft within the last 18 hours. The one we were able to observe closely had massive cracks radiating from the crown 70-80 feet, showing impressive propagation. originally posted by Johnny Bomber on alaskasnow.org