Observation: Douglas Island

Location: Eaglecrest Above West Bowl - Gunner's Shot

Date:
Observer:
Peter Nave Professional
Route & General Observations

Lee feature on the west bowl traverse from the top of Ptarmagin, just before the route joins with the ridge. The height of snow was 140-215cm.

Red Flags
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Observer Comments

Rapid Rise in Temperatures
Rain

Weather & Snow Characteristics
Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.
Weather

Overcast, snow switched to rain in early AM. Light winds out of the SE. Previous moderate + winds from the SW-SE.

Snow surface

Wet new snow. Lots of "roller balls" forming in steep terrain and from skier traffic and ski cutting.

Snowpack

20-40cm of new snow on a thick crust formed by refreezing the snow made wet during early December's major rainstorm. A thick layer of moist melt forms is below this major crust and above another refrozen layer of melt forms. Then there are "drier" rounded grains (potentially with faceted grains above and/or below, too rainy to see) on the early season "super crust." This crust was a laminated crust in this location, with a softer layer between ice layers. At the base of the snowpack was a thick layer of compacted melt forms that are faceting around the vegetation at the base. Height of snow 140-215.

Photos & Video
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Snow Profile, Data For the Juneau Urban Avalanche Bulletin  

Photo of the Pit Observation wall.  

Location