Observation type
Snowpack

Observer
Annonymous

Location (general area)
PCT south of Onyx Peak

Latitude

Longitude

Date (yyyymmdd)
20190206

Time
1500

Road conditions to area
Clear

Temperature
26F

Sky
clear (no clouds)

Wind speed
Light (1-16mph Flags/twigs in motion)

Wind direction
not observed

Wind direction in degrees

Slope aspect
North West

Aspect in degrees

Slope angle

Elevation
8200

Snow depth
40-60cm

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
Loose surface powder poorly adherent to a hard ice layer makes traversing slopes very difficult.

Snow pit was dug on a wind exposed slope that had a 3cm knife hard layer of wind crust over 8cm 4F, 3cm 1F, 3cm K, 1 cm 1f, and the rest of the snow to ground was knife hard. Significant faceting noted on bottom layers.

Shovel tilt test: top 3cm failed when cutting the block with a saw, however the rest of the column did not shear with tapping.

CT: the top 3cm failed again with cutting, a mid layer at ~15cm failed at 26 taps with a clean shear.

File description
Top layer from the tilt test

File description_1
Mid layer from the compression test

Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published

Mid layer from the compression test

Mid layer from the compression test