Snowpit from Castle Peak

Location Name: 
Castle Peak
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 03/04/2011 - 12:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 22' 2.8452" N, 120° 21' 11.7324" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

The most recent storm deposited a layer of dense firm snow on top of a lower density layer. Tests on this interface indicate that it is gaining strength in this area. During the day we dropped several oven to large sofa sized cornices onto wind-loaded NW-N-NE slopes up to 42 degrees in steepness without any failures occurring. Ski cuts on similar slopes also did not produce any signs of instability.

Some small naturally occurring roller balls did release on a S-SE facing slope around 11:30 am at 8000 ft. On other sun-exposed aspects the snow surface started to become wet and sticky by midday.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Moderate
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: