Observation type
Snowpack
Observer
Hans Ludwig
Keep me anonymous if published
no
Location (general area)
Dawson Saddle/Troop Peak (San Gabriels)
Latitude
34.3538
Longitude
-117.8030
Date (yyyymmdd)
20131123
Time
11:00
Road conditions to area
Snowy but plowed
Temperature
35º
Sky
Obscured (fog or base layer prevents view of sky)
Wind speed
Calm (smoke rises vertically)
Elevation
8500
Snow depth
8"
Boot/ Ski penetration
Ankle deep
Precipitation
Light
Activity, recent avalanches
No
Brief description
First, real snow of the season: no pit, just a deposition report
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing
no
Rapid warming
no
Obvious avalanche path
no
Terrain trap
no
Comment
On the drive up, snow stuck to the ground at 6000' and stayed in trees at 7100'. Around Waterman I saw icicles covered in rime, indicating a warm start to the storm which cooled to snow.
Hiking from Dawson Saddle south along the ridge to Throop Peak the day after the first storm of the season...
@9:30 - 3–4" of heavy powder on Dawson Saddle (7,901'). By 2 PM there was 5–6" of very sticky new snow. Trail is covered enough skin the whole way.
Rime on N,NE, & ENE sides of trees. A North/South ridge @ 8,400' is heavily scoured with variable snow depths on E aspects (hard snow drifts, powder pockets, and scoured to rock) and pillowy, wind-transported powder on W aspects. Small, 1–3' high cornices on W side of the ridge. N aspect snow @9000' has been blown firm but not scoured. I found nice 12" of powder on a NW aspect slope @ 8,700'.
Wind has blown most snow from summit. Only 3–4" on top @ 9,138' protected by manzanita. Rime has stuck to all sides of trees and rocks at the summit indicating changing wind directions.

p.s. Snowboarders, hike this trail without fear of cold necks. I knocked snow off all low hanging branches for you already.
Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published

Looking North along the ridge. Where my ski pole is, I knocked off a 3' cornice. Note the chalky powder to the left (W) and scoured/variable snow on the right (E)

2:00 near the saddle again, the temps plummeted and snow flurries came down with very sticky flakes. Note the long spindly crystals which stuck to each other but not the tree.