Avalanche on Hawkins Peak.

Location Name: 
Hawkins Peak
Region: 
Carson Pass Area
Observation Date & Time: 
Monday, January 4, 2021 - 14:00
Location: 
38.742246, -119.860260
See map: CalTopo
Is this an Avalanche Observation?: 
No


Conditions Alerts:

  • Avalanche Activity
  • Persistent Problem
  • Recent Loading
  • Recent Loading›Blowing Snow
  • Recent Loading›Snowfall Rates of More Than 1 in/hr

Terrain Alerts: 
Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees
Obvious Slide Path
Terrain Matches the Advisory
Observation made by: Forecaster

Tabs

Observation
Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions: 

Received a report on Jan 5 from a reliable source that an avalanche failed to near ground level (persistent slab) on Hawkins Peak, viewed from westbound CA Hwy 88. Likely occurred on Jan 4 afternoon during storm event. No other info known. Will update this observation if more info becomes available.

 

Updated on Jan 6:

We went to investigate the reported avalanche on Hawkins Peak from Jan 5.  We drove down to Woodfords and found some good vantage points to look at the northern terrain of Hawkins with binoculars.  We are pretty confident that we did not see any avalanches in this area.  We did see an interesting wind scoured ridge feature with snow surface texture and an exposed moraine below it that could have been mistaken as an avalanche crown and bed surface.   

Hide Snowpack Details
Persistent Weak Layers: 
Buried
Hide Avalanche Details
Avalanche Type: 
Persistent Slab
Failure Plane/Weak Layer: 
Old Snow
Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
Natural
Hide Terrain
Aspect: 
Northeast
Starting Elevation: 
near-treeline
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