Observations from Carpenter Peak

Location Name: 
Carpenter Peak
Region: 
Independence Lake Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 01/09/2011 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 24' 55.5876" N, 120° 19' 33.7512" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Ski cuts and quick test pits on wind-loaded, sheltered, and scoured slopes on all aspects and at all elevations in the Carpenter Peak area showed a mostly stable snowpack. New wind loading by the westerly winds near the highest ridgelines had created very small pockets of thin (3 inches at most) wind crusts that would crack in response to a skier's weight.

Variable conditions exist on the snow surface from thin sun crusts on the sun-exposed southerly through west aspects (photo 1) to firm wind scoured surfaces on the E-NE-N aspects (photo 2) to 4-6 inches of soft cold snow on the shady and sheltered NW-N-NE aspects.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
25% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
North
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

The winds shifted from the west southwest more to the north during the day.