Observation type - Snowpack
Observer - Giernet, McArthur, Larson, Mercurio
Keep me anonymous if published - no
Location (general area) - Mt. San Gorgonio North Bowls
Date (yyyymmdd) - 20150308
Time - 11:28am
Road conditions to area - clear and dry
Temperature - 0°C/ 32°F
Sky - clear (no clouds)
Wind speed - Light (1-16mph Flags/twigs in motion)
Wind direction - NE
Wind direction in degrees
Slope aspect - North West
Aspect in degrees - 350°
Slope angle - 32°
Elevation - 3,163m/ 10,380'
Snow depth - 96cm
Boot/ Ski penetration - BP 32cm
Precipitation - None
Activity, recent avalanches - No
Brief description
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing - no
Rapid warming - no
Obvious avalanche path - yes
Terrain trap - yes

Comment
  It was a clear sunny day once the sun was up, we started before dawn and there was a good refreeze on the low elevation snow. 


We were hiking from the South Fork Trail head approximately 2.5 miles before we started skinning.

At 8,200' on NW sheltered aspects we found 8" to 12" of snow with a surface of powder starting to melt freeze from the 3-1 storm. There was a crust about 6" down and large facets below.

we saw wind loading on North aspects and cross loading from east to west in gullies due to the various winds over the past several days.

wind scouring was evident at the top of the North slopes where there was almost no snow left but lower in the bowls was roughly 3' of snow.

There was signs of wind buff and wind crust in the bowls above 10,500'.

Fresh powder still remained on North aspects in the trees and in the gullies down to about 8,800'.

At 9,300' fresh snow about 12" and total snow 24"+ facets under crust at about 6" to 10"

On the exit below 8,800' going into the drainage and heading towards dry lake snow was getting warm and heavy/ gloppy

Overall upper elevation snow was good.

We found fairly large facets in the base of the snowpack on most Northerly aspects. This was sitting on an ice crust at the ground most likely due to the warm spells throughout the winter. The facet layer was rather large and found to be non reactive during tests.

Our first CT was V Q3 at 9cm this just fell over on the facets after cutting the back wall.

Our 2nd CT22Q2 at 51cm

ECT26N @ 51cm

My apologies for getting this up so late as conditions are quite different now.
File description - Pit Profile from 10,380'
File description - San G north bowls seen from dry lake
Publish this observation - Yes I would like this observation Published

San Gorgonio North Bowls

Mt. San Gorgonio Pit Profilr