Various snowpack obs from Donner Summit

Location Name: 
Near Poop Chute
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 02/21/2016 - 14:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 18' 56.7576" N, 120° 19' 27.3396" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Observation made by: Guide at Alpenglow Expeditions
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

On our tour today, we saw a highly variable snowpack. The north aspects we're mainly comprised of stiff, supportable slabs, with a distinctly wintery feel. Numerous formal and informal tests did not show any signs of instability in this zone, other than very thin wind slabs in some areas. We were able to trigger these small slabs, but they remained insignificant in size.  (35 degrees, N-aspect, obviously loaded micro feature). On the southerly aspects, several inches of wet snow had formed as of mid afternoon. On slopes steeper than 40 degrees, we were able to initiate small roller balls from the skin track. No wet slide activity was noticed in this zone. 

Photo #1- Small roller ball activity on a steep, south aspect @2:30PM

Photo #2- Very small wind slab on a North aspect, 35 degrees

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
25% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: 

Temps were a little cooler than expected.