Observation: Juneau Mainland

Location: Gastineau Ridge

Date:
Observer:
Kanaan Bausler Professional
Route & General Observations

Reactive snowpack with lots of early season trauma hazards.

Red Flags
Red flags are simple visual clues that are a sign of potential avalanche danger. Please record any sign of red flags below.
Obvious signs of instability
Recent Avalanches?Yes
Collapsing (Whumphing)?No
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?Yes
Observer Comments

Going up Gastineau Ridge, cracks were occurring frequently in the wind packed new snow. The wind affected surface was touchy with the loose fresh layer below overlaying a firm crust that was capped with freezing rain at the beginning of the recent storm. We triggered a small wind slab going up the ridge and decided to go no further. Digging into the snow around the corner, the denser layer at the surface released before we could set up a block test.

Photos & Video
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Small windslab triggered while hiking up the ridge  

Snow surface cracking while starting to dig...  

...and then the rest of the slope failed after a bit more digging  

Location