Cracking and Test Slope Failure on Tamarack Peak

Location Name: 
Far East Ridge of Tamarack Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 11/24/2015 - 14:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 18' 48.2148" N, 119° 54' 19.9116" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
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: 

15 to 20 cm of new snow existed in the Mt. Rose area as by 3 pm today. Observations and data indicated that this new snow is not bonding very well to the old snow surfaces. Ski cuts and and kicks on wind loaded test slopes triggered shooting cracks and small wind slabs up to 1 ft in depth. On one test slope where a previous hard slab existed a ski cut triggered the wind slab and the failure stepped down to the older snow (facets) below the hard slab. In sheltered near and below treeline areas where the snow was not wind affected the new snow had little slab characteristics. Ski cuts on steep test slopes did trigger small loose snow sluffs that only involved the new snow sliding on the snow surfaces in some of these non wind affected sheltered areas. 

Photo 1: Wind slab failure on a NE facing test slope that stepped down into the old snow (facets) underneath a previous hard slab at the location attached to this observation. 

Photo 2: Skier triggered cracking on a N facing wind loaded test slope at 9400 ft. 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Strong
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Cooling
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
Greater than 1 in. per hour
More detailed information about the weather: