5/3/18 #ChugachStatePark observations from @arcticvalley #backcountry: The recent cool, windy, and wet weather pattern has preserved (and even greatly improved) the snowpack and its #ski-ability. Approaches are still nice and easy with #skiing nearly to and from the car possible. Generally, there’s a few to several cm’s of sticky recent #snow with deeper areas being leeward (northerly) upper elevation starting zones and catchment areas – which hold up to a meter of recent snow. This recent soft snow overlies a very stout melt-freeze crust or boilerplate wind-packed layer. This very firm base has made the Arctic Valley snowpack fully supportable in even the very thin areas for the first time this season. This base is also generally smooth, and covered with the creamy fresh snow makes for some buttery good turns (yesterday provided perhaps the best of the season). However, there are patches of exposed boilerplate wind-packed and melt-freeze crust that are VERY SLICK: textbook slide-for-life. Ski crampons, boot crampons, and a self-arrest device are especially prudent for traveling on steep terrain. While sizable wind slabs exist on leeward (northerly) upper elevation starting zones, they proved to be generally well-bonded yesterday. However, winds increased again last night, are forecast to blow strong into the near future, and there is some relatively dry and loose snow available for wind transport into further wind slab development in lee upper elevation starting zones. More fresh snow is also possible. Wet #avalanche activity will be very prevalent across Chugach State Park when the sun comes out.

A post shared by Anchorage Avalanche Center (@anchorage_avalanche_center) on May 4, 2018 at 11:05am PDT