Observation type
Snowpack

Observer
Annonymous

Keep me anonymous if published
yes

Location (general area)
Wrightwood

Latitude

Longitude

Date (yyyymmdd)
20230220

Time
1300

Road conditions to area

Temperature
45F

Sky
clear (no clouds)

Wind speed
Calm (smoke rises vertically)

Wind direction
not observed

Wind direction in degrees

Slope aspect
North

Aspect in degrees

Slope angle
40

Elevation
7200ft

Snow depth

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
Leisurely afternoon trek up the ridge for some surface condition scouting and beacon practice before the mega storm rolls into town. Snow coverage below 7000' is spotty, but above that on stepper N-NW aspects there is still a decent base covering most bushes and rocks.

Aspects with solar input have corned up nicely. Steeper, shaded aspects in the trees have a melt/freeze crust with 4-5cm of near surface facets sitting atop the previous crust (see image). Below that is pretty much all pencil to knife hard consolidated snow. Recent warm days seem to be rounding the facets; it will be worth watching what happens as things cool down in the coming days. Biggest concern for me is the very firm crust on which the potentially huge amount of snow will fall onto.

Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published

near surface facets