Observation type
Snowpack

Observer
Tony Bird

Keep me anonymous if published
no

Location (general area)
Mt. Pinos/Sawmill Peak

Latitude

Longitude

Date (yyyymmdd)
20190314

Time
noon

Road conditions to area
Plowed to Piños summit parking; patches of ice.

Temperature
43F

Sky
clear (no clouds)

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

Wind direction
N

Wind direction in degrees

Slope aspect
not observed

Aspect in degrees

Slope angle

Elevation

Snow depth

Boot/ Ski penetration

Precipitation.None
1
Brief description



Comment
Toured from Pinos summit parking to Sawmill summit and back. Two inches of snow from March 12 storm was rapidly changing in warm temps (38-48F). Encountered everything from deep powder to mashed potatoes, windboard, ice crust and breakable crust--everything except corn, which has yet to form.

Dug a snow pit in sheltered ponderosas on Sawmill summit--fist penetration at top down to ice crust at 8 inches, then 4 fingers to another ice crust at about 16. Dug to 34 inches without hitting bottom.

Skied slopes up to about 30 degrees in Pinos/Sawmill gully--totally stable snowpack. Had to bootpack back to Pinos summit over somewhat difficult ice crust with poor boot penetration--skinning proved impossible.

Coverage in this area is excellent, with most areas of thornbush buried and skiable, offering runs rarely skied.

Publish this observation
Yes I would like this observation Published

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