Corn and Crusts on Incline Lake Peak

Location Name: 
Incline Lake Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 03/17/2014 - 14:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 17' 36.8664" N, 119° 56' 21.6708" W
See map: Google Maps
US



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

On the E-SE-S-SW aspects enough surface melting had occurred for several inches of wet corn snow to form by 2 pm. This wet surface snow rested on supportable layers of melt-freeze snow. Ski cuts on steep sun exposed test slopes did not produce any signs of wet snow instability and I never sank above my ankles into wet snow on these aspects at any elevation. I left the area at 3 pm.

On the northerly aspects a mix of thin melt-freeze crusts, scoured surfaces, and 1-2 inches of still soft snow existed on the surface. These variable surface conditions resided above a strong, thick, and supportable rain crust. Hand pits, ski cuts, general observations, and snowpit tests did not reveal any signs of instability on these northerly aspects.

Photo 1: 4 inches of soft, wet melt-freeze snow @ 9400 ft on a S aspect @ 2 pm.

Photo 2: 1-2 inches soft, wet melt-freeze snow @ 8400 ft on an E aspect @ noon.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Northwest
Accumulation rate: 
None