Observation type
Snowpack
Observer
Tony Bird
Keep me anonymous if published
no
Location (general area)
Mt. Pinos
Latitude
Longitude
Date (yyyymmdd)
20200105
Time
noon
Road conditions to area
Plowed bare
Temperature
38-48 F
Sky
clear (no clouds)
Wind speed
Moderate (17-25mph Small trees sway/ flags stretched)
Wind direction
N
Wind direction in degrees
Slope aspect
not observed
Aspect in degrees
Slope angle
25-30
Elevation
8,800'
Snow depth
4 feet
Boot/ Ski penetration
slight
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
Good news and bad news on Mt. Pinos.
Want the bad news first? In a word: CRUST. Just about everywhere, except for a few pockets of powder on northern aspects. Skiing was fairly difficult. I used my wide powder boards, which at least did not break through the inch or so of melt-freeze crust. I don't think my smaller skis would have done better.
The good news is: deep coverage, just about everywhere. Both summit meadows are covered so well that there are only a few bushes showing. I tried a run down the SW aspect off Pinos summit, but turning wasn't any fun, so I skinned back up and tried the NW. Not much better, except for those few pockets. But the bushes are all covered, all the way down to the Pinos/Sawmill gully.
Give us another storm--we do have a great base. Otherwise a January thaw spell ought to create a lot of corn, a process which has already begun.
Despite the bare road--took more than a week to open it since the last storm, CHP was checking everyone closely for chains or 4WD. They will look in your trunk. And you need the Adventure Pass up there.
Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published
Snowpack
Observer
Tony Bird
Keep me anonymous if published
no
Location (general area)
Mt. Pinos
Latitude
Longitude
Date (yyyymmdd)
20200105
Time
noon
Road conditions to area
Plowed bare
Temperature
38-48 F
Sky
clear (no clouds)
Wind speed
Moderate (17-25mph Small trees sway/ flags stretched)
Wind direction
N
Wind direction in degrees
Slope aspect
not observed
Aspect in degrees
Slope angle
25-30
Elevation
8,800'
Snow depth
4 feet
Boot/ Ski penetration
slight
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
Good news and bad news on Mt. Pinos.
Want the bad news first? In a word: CRUST. Just about everywhere, except for a few pockets of powder on northern aspects. Skiing was fairly difficult. I used my wide powder boards, which at least did not break through the inch or so of melt-freeze crust. I don't think my smaller skis would have done better.
The good news is: deep coverage, just about everywhere. Both summit meadows are covered so well that there are only a few bushes showing. I tried a run down the SW aspect off Pinos summit, but turning wasn't any fun, so I skinned back up and tried the NW. Not much better, except for those few pockets. But the bushes are all covered, all the way down to the Pinos/Sawmill gully.
Give us another storm--we do have a great base. Otherwise a January thaw spell ought to create a lot of corn, a process which has already begun.
Despite the bare road--took more than a week to open it since the last storm, CHP was checking everyone closely for chains or 4WD. They will look in your trunk. And you need the Adventure Pass up there.
Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published
