Observation type - Snowpack
Observer - Allen Giernet
Keep me anonymous if published - no
Location (general area) - Dollar Lake trail in San Gorgonio Wilderness
Date (yyyymmdd) - 01/04/15
Time - 10:30am
Road conditions to area - Clear
Temperature - 39°F/ 4°C
Sky - clear (no clouds)
Wind speed - Calm (smoke rises vertically)
Wind direction - not observed
Slope aspect - North
Aspect in degrees - 350°
Slope angle - 35°
Elevation - 8,600'/ 2,621m
Snow depth - 11"/ 29cm
Boot/ Ski penetration - SP 3.5"/ 9cm
Precipitation - None
Activity, recent avalanches - No
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks, collapsing - no
Rapid warming - yes
Obvious avalanche path - no
Terrain trap - no
Comment
Loose faceted grains at bottom 10cm of pit shot out while cleaning back wall. we did not attempt to isolate a block as the bottom was half gone from clearing the wall. The facets appeared to be rounding with the warmer temps.

Along trail at 8,200'/ 2,500m W aspect roughly 6"/ to 10"/ 25cm snow with loose facets just below the surface.

7,600'/ 2,316m Variable 4"/ 10cm to 8"/ 20cm. 

Below 7,600'/ 2,316m scattered areas of large surface hoar on Northerly aspects in drainages and meadows.

We were able to split ski down the road most of the way to the car with some bare spots along the way and at the end.  

Pit profile from 8,600'

San Gorgonio North Aspect