Observation type
Snowpack​

Observer
Anonymous
Keep me anonymous if published
yes

Location (general area)
Eastern San Gabriel Mountains


Latitude


Longitude


Date (yyyymmdd)
20211226

Time
1400

Road conditions to area


Temperature
33F

Sky
few clouds (up to 2/8)

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

Wind direction
S

Wind direction in degrees


Slope aspect
not observed

Aspect in degrees
NNW

Slope angle
35

Elevation
7350ft

Snow depth
45cm

Boot/ Ski penetration


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
Toured up my local route to see the effects of the heavy rain and subsequent modest snowstorm. Snow below 7000ft was only a few inches of low density snow, with many rocks and bushes poking through. Test slope on a steeper N-NW aspect had much more coverage.

Quick pit revealed 45cm of snow. Top 20cm was sugary wind-blown snow, with the bottom 25cm composed of pen/knife hard icy crust. CT failed at 13 at the new/old snow interface with a poor shear quality. A few stomps on an adjacent test slope also dislodged some styrofoamy wind-affected chunks, corroborating the pit results.

Update to follow after Wed/Thur system delivers up to 3+ feet of snow above 7k in the San Gabriels. Fingers crossed.

Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published

pit 1

pit 2