Obs from Andesite Peak

Location Name: 
Andesite Peak
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Observation Date & Time: 
Saturday, December 12, 2020 - 01:45
Location: 
39.352419, -120.362649
See map: CalTopo
Is this an Avalanche Observation?: 
No
Observation made by: Educator at Tahoe Mountain School

Tabs

Observation
Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions: 

 

Noteworthy obs from andesite peak tour with AIARE level 1 students: 

- Wind + snow had a hard time producing any sort of wind slab in the andesite peak area. We found a couple isolated terrian features near ridge line that held "baby" slabs around 4-5 inches thick, (see picture) also winds shifted to NE mid day + we observed light snow transport to the W/SW aspects near ridgeline. 

-   CTV(SC) @ 52cm and CT1(SC) @ 52cm were observed in our compression tests today in our snow pits. These failures occured just below the old/new snow interface in the near surface facets the forcasters have been telling us about for a couple weeks now. Our pit location was in a sheltered north-east aspect @ 7450ft. HS 62. The upper snow stucture really poor with 20cm of Fist-hard FCsf.

Very Small Wind slab (NE aspect)
Very Small Wind slab (NE aspect)
Hide Weather Details
Elevation of Observation: 
7000 - 8000 ft.
8000 - 9000 ft.
Blowing Snow: 
Light
Wind Direction: 
Northeast
Wind Speed: 
Moderate
Sky Cover: 
Few - Mostly Clear - up to 2/8 covered
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
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