Observation type - Snowpack
Observer - HLudwig (Rime) Keep me anonymous if published - no Location (general area) - Throop Peak Latitude - 34.3555 Longitude - -117,8007 Date (yyyymmdd) - 20150312 Time - 1230 Road conditions to area - Clear (closed at Islip Saddle) Temperature - 37ºF/4ºC Sky - few clouds (up to 2/8) Wind speed - Calm (smoke rises vertically) Wind direction - N Slope aspect - North Aspect in degrees - 23 degrees Slope angle - 32º Elevation - 8200' Snow depth - 82cm Boot/ Ski penetration - 30cm/13cm Precipitation - None Activity, recent avalanches - yes Brief description - WL on N aspects above 7000' Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing - yes Rapid warming - yes Obvious avalanche path - yes Terrain trap - yes Comment Only aspects covered enough to ride are the same ones that avalanched the day before. Hmmm...what to do? Terrain management! N drainage of Throop was had multiple, recent, natural, wet avys so I went up the less steep, NW drainage. This was the second warm day after a cool spell. Skinable snow from the hwy :-) Unfortunately the road is closed 5 mi in either direction; but they're working on it. I didn't think I was going to ride—let alone be on the snow at all, due to the natural avys; but once on the snow, I saw zero signs of instability (until I was well on my way down @ 1:45). Sheltered, couloir snow is different from wide, open snow. I really didn't like the natural activity nor the stratigraphy, but the snow felt consistently right side up, stability tests were encouraging, and I saw no new danger signs once in the couloir. Publish this observation - Yes I would like this observation Published |
Pit profile with test results and comments
Pano of the nat avys on the hwy
|