March 25, 2016 | Anchorage Avalanche Center – Alaska Backcountry Ski Guide & Avalanche Education Provider for the Chugach Mountain Institute

Observations

Front Range: McHugh Peak

	Toured up from Bear Valley to McHugh peak ridge. Conditions were punchy around 1800′, with the crust increasing in supportability/firmness with elevation. Gullies were crusty, supportable, carve-able. Upper evelations(2500-4000′) were variable, featuring mild/soft sastrugi, firm crust, and small pockets of wind deposited snow or windslab. Aspect didn’t seem to influence riding conditions. Trace amounts of new snow in sheltered areas. Mostly cloudy, progressing to cloudy with light snowfall. Winds 5-10, gusts to 15 at the ridge. Very mild snow transport noticed. Snow was steady but scant, maybe .25″-.5″ an hour. quick-pit: 3800′ WSW aspect, about 32 degree slope, variable snow depth from 1.5′ to 2.5′. Finger firmness top to bottom with fist-firm layer about 6″ from ground, then another weak faceted layer 1-2″ from ground that variably rested on the ground or an icy layer. CT 7,10,7, fairly sensitive release at the ground/ice interface for the first two, then at the 6″ level for the last CT.

Toured up from Bear Valley to McHugh peak ridge. Conditions were punchy around 1800′, with the crust increasing in supportability/firmness with elevation. Gullies were crusty, supportable, carve-able. Upper evelations(2500-4000′) were variable, featuring mild/soft sastrugi, firm crust, and small pockets of wind deposited snow or windslab. Aspect didn’t seem to influence riding conditions. Trace amounts of new snow in sheltered areas.

Mostly cloudy, progressing to cloudy with light snowfall. Winds 5-10, gusts to 15 at the ridge. Very mild snow transport noticed. Snow was steady but scant, maybe .25″-.5″ an hour.

quick-pit: 3800′ WSW aspect, about 32 degree slope, variable snow depth from 1.5′ to 2.5′. Finger firmness top to bottom with fist-firm layer about 6″ from ground, then another weak faceted layer 1-2″ from ground that variably rested on the ground or an icy layer. CT 7,10,7, fairly sensitive release at the ground/ice interface for the first two, then at the 6″ level for the last CT.