Cracking, sluffing and wind loading on Silver Peak

Location Name: 
Silver Peak
Region: 
Cabin Creek, Deep Creek, or Pole Creek Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 02/28/2012 - 13:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 13' 23.5596" N, 120° 14' 36.5028" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks, or collapsing
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Below treeline on Silver Peak, Monday's snow remains light and unconsolidated without many slab characteristics. Some skier triggered loose snow sluffs did occur on N-NE facing 38 degree test slopes. Extended Column Tests in these areas did not indicate that the new snow has loaded the old facet/crust combination enough to make it reactive yet. As more snow falls in the next few days this layer could re-awaken. Near treeline where the southwest winds had started to transport snow from the windward aspects to the leeward aspects. In these areas reactive wind slabs had started to form. At the higher elevations larger thicker and more fragile wind slabs had formed by midday (see this avalanche observation for photos of two avalanches caused by these wind slabs).

Photo 1: Skier triggered sluff on a 38 degree NE facing test slope at 7400 ft.

Photo 2: Small shooting cracks in a newly formed wind slab on a N aspect at 8000 ft.

 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
75% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Moderate
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Cooling
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: