Observations from Red Lake Pk

Location Name: 
Red Lake Peak
Region: 
Carson Pass Area
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 03/15/2010 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 42' 51.0984" N, 119° 58' 51.2004" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Photo 1: Only the steepest due N aspects remain in the shade mid-day.

Photo 2: Cold, dry, and uncohesive snow on N aspect - solar input still not direct enough for wet metamorphism. Ambient shaded air temp +5c, T20 -8c. N aspect @ 9550ft. Skiing surface remains excellent, but skinning on N and NE aspects was challenging due to fair bonding to 1F hard old snow surface at 20cm. No wind slab observed on N, NE aspects.

Photo 3: On SE aspects above 9000ft, free water existed only within top 1cm, with 5 to 10cm dry snow on top of P hard layer underneath. Fair bonding observed, but no slab formation. Photo taken at 8500ft, where free water was reaching hard layer, but not yet pooling. Appx 13:00PM.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
West
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

Very warm day. First thing in the morning, temperatures were borderline uncomfortable on SE aspects below 9000ft, and cooler but above freezing all the way to 9800ft on N aspects.