Observation type
Snowpack

Observer
Anonymous

Keep me anonymous if published
yes

Location (general area)
Eastern San Gabriels

Latitude

Longitude

Date (yyyymmdd)
20230121

Time
1100

Road conditions to area
clear

Temperature
28F

Sky
clear (no clouds)

Wind speed
Light (1-16mph Flags/twigs in motion)

Wind direction
NW

Wind direction in degrees

Slope aspect
North

Aspect in degrees

Slope angle
25

Elevation
8350ft

Snow depth
175cm

Boot/ Ski penetration

Precipitation
None 

Activity, recent avalanches
No

Brief description

Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing
no

Rapid warming
yes

Obvious avalanche path
no

Terrain trap
no

Comment
Saturday AM tour near treeline in the SG mountains with the goal of scoping higher elevation snowpack and assess stability. Key takeaways on the approach:

- Evidence of massive windloading present near ridgelines in the form of small cornices and wind lips.
- Solar input was quickly melting huge chunks of rime ice from trees, littering ground with glass-like debris
- Surface hoar observed at the start of the tour on clear, high elevation spots (see photo). It was getting zapped by the sun and warmer temps by early afternoon.
- Snow surface is highly variable on all but the most protected aspects. Currently a mix of ice, windboard, sastrugi and granular wind-drifted snow.
- Some faceted snow on highest, steepest aspects. Looks like it's rounding as temps have steadily increased in recent days.

Dug a pit on a NNE test slope near where we planned to ski, that was obviously affected by windloading, so take with a grain of salt.

- 175cm deep
- 4F 155-175
- melt/freeze crust at 155
- pencil hard from 155 to ground with faintly visible layers (no pronounced crusts, though)
- CT12 failure at 165, Q3 shear.
- column was cohesive and seemingly well bonded below soft snow surface

Key takeaways for me are that the snowpack does appear to be bonding, although the primary concerns are still large swaths of boilerplate/ice and some breakable crusts that pose danger in exposed terrain.

Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published

pit 1-21-23

surface hoar 1-21-23