Snowpit on Silver Peak

Location Name: 
Silver Peak
Region: 
Cabin Creek, Deep Creek, or Pole Creek Area
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 03/15/2010 - 12:33
Location Map: 
United States
39° 13' 23.4408" N, 120° 14' 37.122" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Snowpit dug just west of a traditional slide path that did not slide during Friday's storm. Ski cuts on several N-NE facing, 38-40 degree test slopes between 7000' and 8000' did not produce any signs of instabilities. Dropping oven-sized cornice pieces onto the previously wind-loaded slopes along the ridgeline at 8000' also produse no signs of instabilities on the N facing, wind-loaded slopes below. Ski cuts did produce roller-balls, pinwheels and some small wet snow sluffs on E-SE facing, 38-40 degree test slopes between 7000' and 8000' ft.

3-5 inches of wet snow existed on the E-SE-S aspects below 8000' by 1pm. On the shaded N-NE aspects the snow remained cold and soft above 7200'; however, anywhere that the sun hit the snow surface on these aspects the snow was sticky, heavy, and moist all the way up to 8000'.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

A few scattered, high clouds. Winds were calm.