Observation type
Snowpack
Observer
Hans Ludwig
Keep me anonymous if published
no
Location (General area)
Mt Waterman
Latitude
34.3449 
Longitude
-117.9363 
Date (yyyymmdd)
20170128
Time
13:00
Road conditions to area
Clear, damp (closed @6000 ft gate until 9:30)
Temperature
4° C (39.4° F)
Sky
clear (no clouds)
Wind speed
Calm (smoke rises vertically)
Wind direction
not observed
Slope aspect
not observed
Aspect in degrees
344
Slope angle
28
Elevation
7800' (2,377 m)
Snow depth
66 cm (26")
Boot/ Ski penetration
PF19 (7.4")/ PS5 (2") 
Precipitation
None
Activity, recent avalanches
No
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing
no
Rapid warming
no
Obvious avalanche path
no
Terrain trap
yes 
Comment
Opening Day at Mt Waterman. . . boo-yah!
NE winds scoured N ridges, NE & E aspects, and left snow on NW aspects and N faces below ridges (i.e. 'The Face' was off the chain in the afternoon).
Other than wind, we observed no signs of instability. Our main concern was icy conditions as the 30 cm (1 ft) of well adhered blower pow had blown away revealing the rain crust. Bummer. But in treed areas, there were pockets of pow stashes where it was easy to turn; making for highly variable riding/skiing conditions.
 
* HS66 (all measurements are from the ground up)
* STM to ground on basal facets
* CTM20@22 Q3
* CTH21@22 Q3
* CTM17@52
* ECTN22@51
 
When I pulled down the columns after each test, they'd hit the ground and the upper ice layers would break like dropping a deck of playing cards— in perfectly smooth planes.
 
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Yes I would like this observation Published

SoCal NSP & SCSAC Avy L1 field day pit. * Not ideal pit location (too close to trees)