Minor wet snow and minor wind slabs on Rose Knob Peak

Wet snow existed in this area on SE-S aspects at 7,400' by 9:30am. Evidence of a minimal snow surface refreeze last night under radiational cooling conditions. By 1 pm several inches of wet surface snow existed on SE and S aspects with significantly less wet snow on E and W aspects at 8,900'.

Wind slabs were very pockety on SW and W aspects in this area. Slabs were generally very small, extending no further than 10 feet down slope. Testpit ECTs produced ECTP -14 results at base of the wind slab. Failure occurred on top of the melt freeze at the base of the slab. No significant faceting was observed at this interface. With larger sample sizes, slabs were very stubborn and very difficult to trigger or produce cracking in.

Photo: Very shallow loose wet snow avalanche activity from the day prior on WSW aspect at 8,000'. This was the only sign of recent loose wet instability observed in the area. Not enough snow involved to bury a person, even with the terrain trap involvement.