TR: Turnagain Arm... "caught a ride in an avy"

funhog · Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2004 3:57 am Post subject:

bdub, I'd like to know how many times you have skied on Tincan.

fh
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bdub · Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2004 7:47 am Post subject:

that was my first ever trip to tincan,
wasn't going in for a ski cut, just trying to set off a small sluff to test the slope, but, due to the winds (wanted to get out of them), we decided to head in mid-slope, which left a lot of mountain still above me...something i didn't fully take into account

leo · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 1253

Gary the fatal avalanche took place further up the ridge off the south east corner of the map with the debris going about as far as the red x. Sockeye thanks for the support. I wasn't having a bad day but had knee surgery so haven't been skiing till this week and am out of shape. What set me off was the BC snob line coming from someone that just got avalanched in the most obvious spot. Anyway since this post is bringing out the AK skiers let's talk conditions. I'm going to be at Hatcher next week and am looking forward to it. I'm thinking and so far my reports are saying warm weather no depth hoar or week surface hoar layers looking forward to finding out for myself. Lots of snow I think this is the year to be hitting lots of new lines at Hatcher. Just hope the machines don't drive us out. Be there the 23-30 white pickup look for old short balding bearded troll skiing with his two beautiful children.
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gopher · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 303

tk wrote:

wfinley · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 2016 Location: Anchorage

The whoomps on Eddies on terrain that averages around 25 degrees (this was measured last year when the exact same instance occurred in the exact same spot); specifically the big whoomp was at the spot where you enter the trees after traversing beneath the entire peak to reach the up track through the trees to the upper ridge. It occurred when 8 people got backed up because a Z track was being put in. At this point you are about 20 feet below the woods with a very low angle and safe runout so no one was adamant about spacing. Likewise I heard one while skiing out to check the angle of a rollover (about 1/2 up the ridge). No pits were dig on Sunday; we were mostly in the trees.

On Saturday while heading up Tincan I ski cut a steep rollover (one of those rock L of the trail just before you reach the ridge where you can do tree shots) and made the top layer sluff. There was a very obvious surface hoar about 8 inches down.

funhog · Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2004 6:55 am Post subject:

I didn't hear any whomping on tincan the 11th.

I was there on the 4th and reported in a thread tk started midweek on Tincan conditions severe windblast with pockets of powder. The windblast scouring was on the protruding surfaces and the pockets of powder were found in the swales. I speculated with the cold there could be some interesting developments on the weekend of 11th with the 24 inches of snow that fell. Well we saw them.

There are enough of us here that ski the chugach or the talkeetnas, maybe we need to start a thread about snow conditions we find. Something like wow started on Wasatch conditions.

Anyway, watch the weather, read the avy forecast, check your angles and use good routefinding skills. I'd love to hear about what you see and hear. I know the Chugach forest folks would love to hear about snow conditions too.

I'll be at Manitoba or Eddies with one of the dogs on Saturday and will be at Manitoba with friends on Sunday. I'll report back.

Maybe with this warmth down there now, things will bond and we'll get to more decent conditions.

Be safe and have fun!
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wfinley · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 2016 Location: Anchorage

I hear you about the thread - I'll be at Hatcher tomorrow. I heard Turnagain had a rain crust. Will report back.

Valdez Telehead · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 1568

I see the other side of Turnigan Pass opens to snowmachines today. It looks much more dangerous on that side of the road from a terrain viewpoint. Hopefully the "testers" will be careful this weekend ove there motoring about. But like skiers, they is always one who will ignore things, rev it up and go highmarking, depsite obvious clues on site and in the CNF forecast this am. Bad weather may temper snowmachine activity there today, but not on Sunday.

Rain, snow, rain, snow,,,,here all night. Should be lots of stuff sluffing in the Chugach today,,,be careful out there.

Finley? Be that bill my old webguy and helped Tab at the museum?

funhog · Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2004 6:24 am Post subject:

I started a thread over on the main forum titled Alaska Snow and Ski Conditions. Would love to hear how much fun you found.
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wfinley · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Posts: 2016 Location: Anchorage

That would be me... Still helping Tabitha out at valdezmuseum.org. I'm hoping to head your way later this winter; will give you you a call in the hopes of renting your place!