Observations from Upper Ophir Creek

Location Name: 
Upper Ophir Creek
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 01/14/2014 - 10:25
Location Map: 
United States
39° 17' 34.476" N, 119° 54' 15.552" W
See map: Google Maps
US



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

Stable snowpack conditions were present in this area today with no signs of instability. An overall weak snowpack with slab over weak layer snowpack structure exists here, but the well faceted weak layers have gained sufficient strength to support the load of the thin overlying slab plus the weight of a person. Additionally, the slab characteristics appear insufficient to propagate weak layer collapse.

The snowpack in this area is supportable to the weight of a skier with ski penetration of 7 to 10 cm into the overall snowpack height of 30 to 55 cm.

A second testpit dug below treeline at 8,860' on a N aspect, 28 degree slope (39.29380, -119.90386) revealed a very similar snowpack structure to the full profile published below, but without the melt-freeze crust and a slightly greater HS of 55 cm. At the test pit, ECTN-14 @ 45 cm (base of the surface slab) and ECTN-24 @ 25 cm (top of the depth hoar layer).

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
East