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Snowpack Summary January 22, 2022
Posted by Allen Giernet @ 6:04am (this summary expires in 48 hours)
This summary applies to backcountry areas only.
The Bottom Line –
FIRM AND ICY CONDITIONS WARNING this morning. Long slide for life situations could result from a slip and fall in moderately steep to steep terrain today. Cold temperatures and strong winds will keep any firm and icy surfaces locked up all day. Wind chill will be below 0°F at the upper elevations today. Melt freeze surfaces and refrozen heavily traveled snow will be slick and icy. Crampons and Ice axe will be recommended for travel and may not bite into some of the firm surfaces. Use your better judgement and do not get into a situation you can not retreat from.
If you venture out please submit your observations to the avalanche center Submit Reports page.
Posted by Allen Giernet @ 6:04am (this summary expires in 48 hours)
This summary applies to backcountry areas only.
The Bottom Line –
FIRM AND ICY CONDITIONS WARNING this morning. Long slide for life situations could result from a slip and fall in moderately steep to steep terrain today. Cold temperatures and strong winds will keep any firm and icy surfaces locked up all day. Wind chill will be below 0°F at the upper elevations today. Melt freeze surfaces and refrozen heavily traveled snow will be slick and icy. Crampons and Ice axe will be recommended for travel and may not bite into some of the firm surfaces. Use your better judgement and do not get into a situation you can not retreat from.
If you venture out please submit your observations to the avalanche center Submit Reports page.
Problem #1
Firm and Icy Surfaces firm and icy surfaces can cause long slide for life scenarios. Travel can be difficult to vary dangerous. Self arrest may be difficult to impossible. Micro spikes are not recommended for these conditions. Ice Axe and Crampons with proper training and skill are necessary tools for travel in these conditions. A slip and fall on these surfaces can lead to a long slide with tragic results.
General Summary
Several days of melt freeze cycle with light snow last night and strong winds will combine with below freezing temperatures today. This will make for variable surface conditions and areas of fast firm surfaces. These conditions will be prominent wherever melt and refreeze has taken place. These conditions will also exist on wind buffed surfaces and where heavy travel has contributed to compaction and melt freeze of the snow. Travel in these conditions on moderately steep to steep slopes is not recommended. Ice axe and crampons with proper training and practice will be the necessary tools and may not be sufficient to effect self arrest in some areas. Long slide for life scenarios will be very likely. These incidents are the greatest cause for Search and Rescue calls as well as fatalities in our local mountains. These conditions are not to be taken lightly. Be extremely aware of changing conditions and use your best judgement to prevent getting into a situation you can not retreat from. This type of situation happens numerous times each winter especially on Mt. Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains. This is the reason Mt San Antonio has been named the 3rd most dangerous mountain in the lower 48. Sunday will begin cold with lighter winds and warm through the day. The chance of Wet Snow instability could return at lower elevations especially on sun exposed slopes through the day.
Exercise caution on slopes over 30°. Always exercise caution when entering into winter mountain areas. Bring a Beacon Shovel and Probe and know how to use them. Travel with a partner and make conservative decisions.
Several days of melt freeze cycle with light snow last night and strong winds will combine with below freezing temperatures today. This will make for variable surface conditions and areas of fast firm surfaces. These conditions will be prominent wherever melt and refreeze has taken place. These conditions will also exist on wind buffed surfaces and where heavy travel has contributed to compaction and melt freeze of the snow. Travel in these conditions on moderately steep to steep slopes is not recommended. Ice axe and crampons with proper training and practice will be the necessary tools and may not be sufficient to effect self arrest in some areas. Long slide for life scenarios will be very likely. These incidents are the greatest cause for Search and Rescue calls as well as fatalities in our local mountains. These conditions are not to be taken lightly. Be extremely aware of changing conditions and use your best judgement to prevent getting into a situation you can not retreat from. This type of situation happens numerous times each winter especially on Mt. Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains. This is the reason Mt San Antonio has been named the 3rd most dangerous mountain in the lower 48. Sunday will begin cold with lighter winds and warm through the day. The chance of Wet Snow instability could return at lower elevations especially on sun exposed slopes through the day.
Exercise caution on slopes over 30°. Always exercise caution when entering into winter mountain areas. Bring a Beacon Shovel and Probe and know how to use them. Travel with a partner and make conservative decisions.
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General Mountain Weather Forecast |
1-22-22 Below freezing temperatures all day with partially cloudy skies and a slight chance of evening snow. There will be a High Wind Warning until 6:00pm today.
Sunday Partially cloudy to mostly clear skies with warmer afternoon temps although very cold in the morning. Winds will have tapered off by Sunday.
Monday Warmer with mostly clear skies and mild conditions this will continue through mid week.
Sunday Partially cloudy to mostly clear skies with warmer afternoon temps although very cold in the morning. Winds will have tapered off by Sunday.
Monday Warmer with mostly clear skies and mild conditions this will continue through mid week.
Click here for this Season's Snow Pack Summaries
To better understand the challenges and potential variability over the large area we are producing information for please read our Snowpack Summary - Format and Limitations
Disclaimer:
This Bulletin is designed to generally describe conditions where local variations always occur. Travelers are advised to exercise caution and make slope specific evaluations. As always, please treat this bulletin with appropriately guarded skepticism and make your own assessments. Help to provide more information to the community by reporting your observations
This Bulletin is designed to generally describe conditions where local variations always occur. Travelers are advised to exercise caution and make slope specific evaluations. As always, please treat this bulletin with appropriately guarded skepticism and make your own assessments. Help to provide more information to the community by reporting your observations
Click on the links below for the latest information
Latest Observtions
Click on the observation to go to the full report
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Observation type
Snowpack Location - Wanat Peak San Bernardino Mtns. Date (yyyymmdd) - 20220117 Comment - Rain significantly affecting top 25cm of snowpack with wet and heavy snow with fist hardness quickly compacting. Top 25cm layer failed at shovel test and at CT 23. Hardness rapidly increases through the rest of the snowpack with finger and pen hardness observed from 75 cm to 10cm. 10cm layer closest to ground consists of loose and granular snow. Recent small wet loose avalanche observed at approximately 7,200 feet on same north aspect on 35% slope with 300 foot path. May have been triggered by rain and or warming. Additionally 2 smaller glide avalanches with 30 foot glide paths observed at 7,000 feet triggered by boulders releasing on northwest aspect of main gully from Wanat. |
Observation type
Snowpack Location - Mt Baldy Bowl Date (yyyymmdd) - 20220117 Comment Baldy Bowl chutes were good in the morning due to heavy cloud cover. However, there were obvious wet slide avalanche tracks in the bowl. It rained for about 1to 2 hrs at 8000', soaking the snowpack. Later, it turned to snow. Soggy snow meant for postholing on the descent off the bowl. Very wet snow up there today in the afternoon. |
Observation type
Snowpack Location - Mt Baden Powell Date (yyyymmdd) - 20220114 Comment - Went to hike to the peak of Mt Baden Powell Via the main trail, and snow was found to be immediately very soft (hike started just before 6am). Sinking to knee depth ~15” frequently and up to the hip periodically. Snow firmness did not improve up to 7800’ and we turned around. Multiple signs of previous pinwheels (days prior) and recent slides. |
Observation type -
Snowpack Location - San G Big Draw Bowl Date (yyyymmdd) - 20220114 Comment - Generally solid conditions most of the day. The approach to Big Draw Bowl is rough in spots. Lots of post-holing from 8200'-10,000', especially on south-facing aspects. Big Draw bowl has a stable and consolidated snowpack. The chutes off of Jepson Peak and the NW/W chutes off San Gorgonio have breakoff points from likely wind-slap avalanches. Some rockfall in those chutes. Big Draw East Chute (10,500'-11,200') was solid and punchy until the last 100', when it turned firm and fast/slide for life. The route to the summit was doable in boots. Ice-Rink conditions on the San G-Jepson saddle were present, even crampons did not bite well. Big Draw Chute West (Main) was heavily corniced, and just above it. The main chute itself was firm and generally consolidated. Cornices were present on the tops of both chutes, but were much larger on Big Draw West (Main). Be prepared for the full gamut of snow conditions in the San Gorgonio Wilderness from ice to post-holing. |
General Caution
You should always use safe terrain management and carry avalanche rescue equipment in the backcountry. Most avalanches are triggered by someone in the party or the victim. Practice with your rescue gear often and be prepared should the worst happen. Though we do not have an avalanche forecast center in this area as of yet, the information posted and shared here as well as the resources available on this site will help to make informed decisions for your backcountry travels. Use avalanche forecasts in your travels wherever available and be aware that avalanche ratings are general information. Elevation, location, geographic variability’s, slope aspect and angle all have effects on the particular area you travel in. This is only one piece of the information you should use in your decision making process. There is no substitute for avalanche education, for more resources and information as well as education please refer to our resources page.
You should always use safe terrain management and carry avalanche rescue equipment in the backcountry. Most avalanches are triggered by someone in the party or the victim. Practice with your rescue gear often and be prepared should the worst happen. Though we do not have an avalanche forecast center in this area as of yet, the information posted and shared here as well as the resources available on this site will help to make informed decisions for your backcountry travels. Use avalanche forecasts in your travels wherever available and be aware that avalanche ratings are general information. Elevation, location, geographic variability’s, slope aspect and angle all have effects on the particular area you travel in. This is only one piece of the information you should use in your decision making process. There is no substitute for avalanche education, for more resources and information as well as education please refer to our resources page.
