Snowpack

Harp Mountain

Eeva LatosuoChugach State Park
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Quick report

Snowpack is wind hammered with quite diverse wind structures to travel through, December facets are well developed and widespread and this layer could still cause propagation at least in the locations where it is not totally bridged with stiff and deep windslab. , We experienced localized cracking under skis when traveling through 3-6 cm wind slabs.

Weather

Air Temp
-18F @10:30 to -6F @14:00
Cloud Cover
clear
Wind Loading
none
Rain Elevation
0
Recent Snowfall
0
Snow Avail For Transport
none

Clear, cold day without significant wind or precipitation.

Snowpack

Surface conditions varied from bare slick ice crusts and supportable wind slabs to soft wind ripples. Soft snow was hiding in few places, but overall surface is wind hammered and provides interesting ski conditions. Snowpack height was 65-105cm at 2900'. Structure is still problematic. The small column test and extended column tests were not very exciting (CTN x 3, CT11RP, , ECTX x 4, ECTP24). When we did propagation saw tests on the bottom layer, the failures propagated all the way across (PST 41/100End, PST42/100End). The large 4-6mm facets are well developed, we saw beautiful striated advanced facets, cupped forms, and even chained facets.