Observation type
Snowpack

Observer
Jake Carp

Keep me anonymous if published
no

Location (general area)
San G Range

Latitude

Longitude

Date (yyyymmdd)
20191124

Time
0800

Road conditions to area
Clear

Temperature

Sky
clear (no clouds)

Wind speed
Calm (smoke rises vertically)

Wind direction
not observed

Wind direction in degrees

Slope aspect
not observed

Aspect in degrees

Slope angle

Elevation

Snow depth

Boot/ Ski penetration

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
Went for a hike up the South Fork Drainage to San G yesterday (Sunday 11/24/2019) to scout snow conditions. Here are some highlights:
- 4-6 inches of snow consistently down to 7,000 ft and patchy below—only on shaded aspects. Up to a foot in isolated locations above 9k.
- Surface hoar (frost) on shaded aspects above 8-10k ft.
- Minor temperature crusts on snow with sun exposure.
- Dug a “pit” at 10,000ft, height of snow highly variable, but averaging around 13cm.
- Snow was mixed form, about half was decomposing facets, the rest (especially near the bottom) was 1mm facets.

This pit showed a perfect example of a CRITICAL temperature gradient in an early season snowpack.
(For reference: critical temperature gradient = Greater than 1*C change in 10cm which equals faceting.)

Pit height: 13cm
Air temp: 3.5C
Surface Temp: -9C
10cm Deep: -4

Since we can assume that the ground is close to 0C. Therefore we know that this snow is actively faceting.

Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published

HS 13cm

Faceting