Observation type
Snowpack

Observer
Annonymous

Keep me anonymous if published
yes

Location (general area)
Wrightwood

Latitude

Longitude

Date (yyyymmdd)
20230225

Time
1300

Road conditions to area
impassable

Temperature
23F

Sky
Overcast (sky covered)

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

Wind direction
S

Wind direction in degrees

Slope aspect
North

Aspect in degrees

Slope angle
25

Elevation
6500'

Snow depth
110cm

Boot/ Ski penetration

Precipitation
Medium 

Activity, recent avalanches
yes

Brief description

Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing
no

Rapid warming
no

Obvious avalanche path
no

Terrain trap
no

Comment
Ventured out with a conservative route plan as this mega storm was winding down to see how much fell and what the snowpack is like. My partners and I toured to a ~25deg stand of oak and pine that would almost certainly never be skiable in normal years. Snow in our low-ish elevation tour seems right side up with high quality cold, dry powder rounding out the storm.

Pit at ~6500ft on a 25deg North slope.
110cm deep
0-5 knife hard ice (remnants from earlier this winter)
5-55 4F
55-110 fist
CT14 at 40cm, Q3 shear
Snow hasn't bonded well to the icy/corn base but wasn't reactive in column test

We did observe a D1 dry loose slide on a small ~40deg slope on our return home. However, there were not other observed signs of instability during our tour.

Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published

dry looose

pit 2-25