Observation type
Snowpack Observer Allen Giernet aka The Winter Warlock Keep me anonymous if published no Location (general area) Mt Baldy West Bowl San Gabriel Mtns. Latitude 34.27761 Longitude -117.65724 Date (yyyymmdd) 20170311 Time 1320 Road conditions to area clear and dry Temperature 8°C/ 46.4F Sky clear (no clouds) Wind speed Calm (smoke rises vertically) Wind direction not observed Slope aspect South East Aspect in degrees 126° Slope angle 20° Elevation 2,882m/ 9,456' Snow depth 66cm/ 26" Boot/ Ski penetration 7cm/ 2.75" Precipitation None Activity, recent avalanches yes Brief description Observed debris from a loose wet avalanche possibly two start zones approximately 24 to 48 hours old in Baldy Bowl on the way to our location Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing yes Rapid warming yes Obvious avalanche path yes Terrain trap yes Comment Isolated collapses around 8500' @ 2:39 pm sections would drop but not move or release. Possibly collapsing on buried manzanita or loose grains on an ice layer below Solid freeze overnight on snow surface on hike in to hut Friday night @ 11:00pm Firm snow in morning softening by 10:00am some of it only in the upper few centimeters on some aspects southerly aspects softened more quickly. North aspects did not soften much until later afternoon. Crust developing in shades on N aspect at 4:00pm Solid refreeze of snow overnight Saturday night. Firm and icy snow patches on trail @ 8am some softening in sun exposed areas. Publish this observation Yes I would like this observation Published |