Observations from Powderhouse

Location Name: 
Powderhouse Peak
Region: 
Luther Pass Area (including Job and Freel)
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 03/28/2014 - 11:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 46' 59.7576" N, 119° 58' 31.8072" W
See map: Google Maps
US



Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Pic 1: At 8,000ft, layer under crust best described as weak melt forms. Very few angles visible, and perc tubes throughout layer provided resistance to saw cut on PST 100/100.

Pic 2: At 8,200ft layer under crust became weaker, with obvious angles and no perc tubes.  First of several Slab Fractures on PSTs between 8,200ft and 9,000ft on N aspect of Powderhouse Peak. Collapse would propagate a short distance beyond saw cut and then break vertically though overlying slab (in this case the vertical fracture was 20cm short of full propagation). Very little difference in slab thickness or strength from 8,200 to 9,200ft, which remained too thin and weak to promote propagation on PSTs. However, facets under crust and crust itself became weaker with elevation gain.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
75% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: 

Warm, humid morning with only the slightest W wind at Powderhouse summit. Snow was beginning to get sticky throughout elevation band traveled.