Observation type - Snowpack
Observer - Allen Giernet
Keep me anonymous if published - no
Location (general area) - San Gorgonio along vivian crk trail
Latitude - 34° 05' 341"
Longitude - 116° 52' 849"
Date (yyyymmdd) - 20121229
Time - 8:55am - 1:04pm
Road conditions to area - Clear
Temperature - -2°c/ 28°F
Sky - clear (no clouds)
Wind speed - Calm (smoke rises vertically)
Wind direction - not observed
Wind direction in degrees
Slope aspect - North West
Slope angle - level terrain in drainage
Elevation - 7311'/ 2228m
Snow depth - 35cm/ 14"
Boot/ Ski penetration - 7.5cm/ 3"
Precipitation - None
Activity, recent avalanches - No
Brief description
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing - no
Rapid warming - no
Obvious avalanche path - no
Terrain trap - no
Comment - Surface temp of snow -10°c/ 14°F
Melt freeze crust buried 3"/ 7.5cm & 1"/ 2.5cm thick on top of unconsolidated mixed grain snow mostly faceted
Steep temp. gradient at -10°c surf temp

8300'/ 2530m @ 9:50am -4°c/ 25°F aspect SW angle not observ
Snow depth 42cm/ 17" crust on unconsolidated snow again

9100'/ 2270m @ 11:00am air 2°c/ 36°F aspect SW angle 34°
Wind C ⎢ BP 5"/ 13cm ⎢surf. T -2°c/ 28°F ⎢Depth 18"/ 46cm ⎢crust buried 4"/ 10cm ⎢2"/ 5cm Thk melt freeze on unconsolidated mixed grain snow

8950'/ 2730m @ 1:04pm airT -3°c/ 27°F ⎢aspect N angle 35° wind C ⎢Sky now overcast ⎢Precip light dry fluffy snow ⎢BP 5"/ 13cm ⎢depth 75cm/ 30" ⎢ Surf. T 0°c/ 32°F ⎢Melt freeze crust buried 10cm/ 4" on top of completely unconsolidated snow (just dry and loose)

Melt freeze crust found in most areas with no consolidation below
Northerly aspects holding snow well and much more snow then S
Some isolated areas of wind loading mostly north aspects
Lots of melt out on Southerly aspects some areas to ground
Sun crusts in exposed areas SE/S/SW/NW
Surface hoar after the clear night in most semi sheltered and unsheltered areas on all aspects with no wind or heat to mitigate as this snow started to fall. Very light dry snow falling in afternoon with no wind burying surface hoar as I was hiking
Publish this observation - Yes I would like this observation Published    

slopes near Vivian Crk. Trail

Northern slope across from San G