Avalanche Clinic

Tonight, I went to a 'Fireside Chat' at the National Forest Service post in Girdwood. It was put on by the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center, in association with Avalanche.org. This is the second of a five part lecture series on avalanche safety and awareness. Tonight's lecture focused on snow pack. I learned about the two major catagories of snow crystals, rounded and faceted, and how they relate to avalanche risk. Rounded crystals fuse together well and create a solid bond (snowball snow), while faceted crystals do not fuse well and create weak layers in the snow pack (sugary snow). I also learned that most avalanches occure on 35 to 45 degree slopes, with 38 degrees being the most dangerous. Next week's lecture is about terrain and route mapping.
Tomorrow I am heading into 'town', as Anchorage is referred to here. This will be my first excursion into the city and I am hoping it is a clear day. I hear that this stretch of the Seward Highway is gorgeous. On my way to Girdwood from the airport, there was a blizzard and we could hardly see 20 yards ahead. I am very excited. More photos coming soon.