Varied snow conditions on Donner Peak and Mt. Judah

Location Name: 
Donner Peak and Mt. Judah
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Thu, 01/03/2013 - 13:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 18' 32.0724" N, 120° 18' 46.7388" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

A wide variety of surface snow conditions existed on Donner Peak and Mt. Judah today. In sheltered areas on the NW-N-NE-E aspects 3-6 inches of soft snow existed. In sun exposed areas on the W-SW-S-SE-E aspects a thin crust had formed and melted as the sun warmed the snow surface leaving soft but wet snow in those areas. On more exposed NW-N-NE-E aspects at the higher elevations wind scoured surfaces and wind packed surfaces prevailed. In some areas the wind had even scoured surfaces back to the old ice crust.

Stability tests, ski cuts on steep test slopes, handpits and general observations revealed no signs of instability. Probing in this area showed that the old December facet layers exist between 140cm and 220cm below the surface on the northerly aspects. The areas where these layers were shallowest existed on a NW aspect of Donner Peak, however, they were not continuous enough in that area to perform propagation tests on.

Snowpit: @ 7920 ft on a NW aspect of Donner Peak

Photo 1: Wind scouring on a N-NE aspect

Photo 2: Exposed ice crust on a NW aspect

Photo 3: Soft snow on a sheltered NW aspect

Photo 4: Surface hoar on a shaded N aspect

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
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: