Great Gulf, Burt Ravine, Eastern Snowfields, Crawford

Accessed terrain off of the Cog (Ammonoosuc  Ravine, Burt Ravine, Great Gulf, Eastern Snowfields) and found generally stable conditions, variable firm surfaces, and the absence of an avalanche problem (in the terrain assessed). 

Found snow in Great Gulf to be firm, but the terrain to be well connected and felt it has the ability to produce large avalanches if winds are favorable to loading it.

Overall noted very thin snow coverage for January (outside of Tuckerman Ravine and Great Gulf, which seem to be the outliers of terrain at this time)

Snowpack was generally low and shallow in the terrain we visually assessed. There were some patches of softer snow high in the alpine, but this snow had a wind skin and it will likely take strong winds to be able to redistribute this snow. As this area is also still rocky sometimes it also shelters and almost traps snow so we felt there was small amounts of snow available for transport. 

Did not see much evidence of snow moving yesterday from the 23 mph average northwest summit winds.

Visibility was poor into Ammonoosuc Ravine due to a lingering cloud, but we could see what typically becomes a snowfield above it, this was best now described as rocks with some snow. Could not assess conditions below this.

Burt Ravine had sections of connected snow, but again was shallow and mostly rocky, limiting the size of any avalanche problem in the near future. 

Terrain in Great Gulf, like Airplane and Turkey Shoot, was well connected and has the capacity to produce large avalanches with the right combination of snow and winds. In Airplane, we found something interesting which was an old crown line. This was extremely firm and refrozen and we discussed this likely occurred during the warming events on 12/28-30. Found a glide crack underneath the crown, smaller crowns to the side along the path, and creeping of the snow right underneath the crown (see photos below). Overall, we found the snow in Great Gulf to be very firm and wind affected.

Went up to the Eastern Snowfield and found firm and wind affected snow. Sastrugi (wind textured ripple like snow) was seen and was softer than other surfaces, but still firm. Did not find any evidence of an avalanche problem here.

Looking into the Alpine Garden from the Eastern Snowfields, saw rocky and brown terrain where we felt there may have been more snow from the recent 4 inches and light winds. 

Driving through Crawford Notch noted very little snow in the low-elevation terrain and that most avalanche paths were incredibly rocky with little bits of snow, or visible ice.