Observations from Carson Pass

Location Name: 
Round Top
Region: 
Carson Pass Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 02/11/2014 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 39' 46.9404" N, 120° 0' 8.0352" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Pic 1: Rapid warming and rapid settling of storm snow produced cracking in sunken terrain features

Pic 2: HS on wind sheltered slopes between 8,500 and 9,000ft averaged 120cm. HS on wind loaded slopes from 9,000ft to 10,000ft was just under 300cm. On several wind loaded slopes above 9,000ft, probing revealed a lower density layer ~1m down and the probe dropped without any resistance for the last 20cm indicating a basal weakness remains.

Pic 3: Surface snow near ridgetops remained cold, dry and available for transport. Our skin track was already filling in from our first pass an hour earlier.

Pic 4: Signs of storm-event avalanche activity existed on the majority of avalanche paths, including surprisingly low angle ones. Several crowns such as this one zippered from rock to rock and appx stauchwall locations were often well into low angled portions of slopes - possible failure on a mid-pack persistent layer? Only 1 slope was observed to have released post-storm; a SE low elevation gully off of Stevens Peak with fresh debris that covered the full width of the path. No further info about this activity.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
25% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: 

Air temps above freezing by mid morning and 14c at warmest point of day at 10,000ft S aspect. However snow at ridgetops remained cold and available for transport.