Front Range – Canyon Road
Signs of instability:
- Numerous, recent, long-running (up to ~1000′), natural loose snow avalanches (sluffs) that likely occurred from midway through the Friday-Saturday storm to late Saturday morning throughout the Rabbit Creek Valley
- Numerous human triggered small loose snow avalanches (sluffs) in steeper upper elevation (above 3500′) terrain
- Some subtle cracking in slightly wind affected areas of more cohesive (“slabby”) snow
Weather:
- Cloudy skies mid morning becoming sunny by late morning
- Temps in the upper single digits to low teens
- Calm wind with some light gusts at times along ridges and on peaks
Surface conditions:
- Widespread ~2.5′ (30″) of flawless, blower powder (snorkels required) – arguably one of the all time best FRange pow days
Discussion:
We found ~30″ of blower pow at the lower Canyon Road gate (thanks to Chugach Ress for breaking trail 3/4 of the way up Peak 3):
This truck left overnight by campers near Rabbit Lake lends some snowfall perspective:
Numerous, long-running natural sluffs were observed all over the Rabbit Creek Valley (seen here is a sluff that ran ~700′ SSW aspect off Peak 2 near the Peak 3 uptrack):
Peak 4 gloriously untracked:
On his first weekend back in town the Randonnite Phil Hess was hard at work for the Anchorage Avalanche Center (seen here assessing conditions on Peak 4):
Highly technical snow science study in the Peak 4 laboratory of the properties of Western Chugach mid-March blower powder:
Anchorage Avalanche Center volunteer staff assessed conditions back to Peak 4.5:
Two more long-running (~700′) natural sluffs SW aspect Peak 4.5:
Eagle River – South Fork
Signs of instability:
- Recent, seemingly natural, small wind slab avalanche NE aspect Peak 1212 (North Bowl area)
Weather:
- Sunny with increasing clouds from the SW in the evening
- Temps in the upper single digits to low teens
- Calm wind with some light gusts at times along ridges and on peaks
Surface conditions:
- Widespread 8-14″ creamy powder providing for a much different, but just as fun (denser and much faster), skiing experience than Canyon Road
Discussion:
Gotta love the Western Chugach (SoFo was largely untracked as of 5:30pm Saturday):
