Observation type - Snowpack
Location (general area) - Kratka Ridge
Latitude - N 34° 20.959'
Longitude - W 117° 53.907'
Date (yyyymmdd) - 2013/01/14
Time - 1600
Road conditions to area - Mostly clear, some ice
Temperature - 30º
Sky - clear (no clouds)
Wind speed - Moderate (17-25mph Small trees sway/ flags stretched)
Wind direction - E
Wind direction in degrees - 90º
Slope aspect - not observed
Aspect in degrees - 13º
Slope angle - 35º
Elevation - 7200
Snow depth - 4'
Boot/ Ski penetration - Boots clean penetration.
Precipitation - None
Activity, recent avalanches - No
Brief description - Fully covered wind blown powder over very hard crust. Possibly melted in early afternoon.
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing - no
Rapid warming - no
Obvious avalanche path - no
Terrain trap - yes
Comment - Super thin/icy ridges/spurs. Wind blown powder in gullies/draws, sometimes fairly cohesive powder, all over over thick, smooth crusts. Classic cross-loading in gullies. Attn in steeper sections (38º) and convexities within the gullies.
Publish this observation - Yes I would like this observation published