Observation type
Snowpack

Observer
Anonymous

Keep me anonymous if published
yes

Location (general area)
Jean Peak (i.e., the peak next to San Jacinto)

Latitude

Longitude


Date (yyyymmdd)
20220226

Time
12pm

Road conditions to area

Temperature


Sky
clear (no clouds)


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


Wind direction
not observed
​

Wind direction in degrees


Slope aspect
North East

Aspect in degrees


Slope angle


Elevation


Snow depth

Boot/ Ski penetration


Activity, recent avalanches
No

Brief descrip

Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing
no

Rapid warming
no

Obvious avalanche path
no

Terrain trap
no

Comment
We arrived at the top of the tram around 9AM. The approach to the bottom of Jean, which got quite a bit of sun, was a glopfest and slowed travel down significantly...skin wax would have been a good idea. Surface conditions varied wildly from cold powder, supportable crusts, to mank—all dependent on solar input. It seemed like the San Jacinto zone's upper elevations scored 1-2 feet of new snow from last week's storm.

Once we got the the bottom of Jean (~10,000), travel became much easier, albeit still quite a bit of work breaking trail—not used to breaking trail in 2 feet of powder in SoCal! We topped out around 1PM, and the air felt chilly (probably low thirties) and calm.

We spun a few laps in the trees and enjoyed some of the better snow quality I've experienced in SoCal. No signs of instability in the NE trees — we stomped on a few convexities and pulled a hand shear with no results. The 'pack seemed right-side up. I wouldn't be surprised if steeper, solar aspects were a different story, but we didn't see any loose wet activity on the neighboring SE face of San Jacinto. 


Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published

Glop

Jean Peak Trees