Tallac

Location Name: 
Tallac
Region: 
Desolation Wilderness Area (including Emerald Bay)
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 02/28/2016 - 14:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 54' 30.672" N, 120° 4' 56.838" W
See map: Google Maps
US



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

Impressive mix of snow conditions between Half Moon Lake and Tallac today. South facing slopes had well developed corn which was softening by 10am. 

Well shaded north facing slopes below treeline (but above 8000 ft) held surface facets, which were occasionally covered by a very thin melt freeze crust. A few steep high elevation (9000 ft +) north facing slopes held chalky soft snow.

As we moved from south facing to east facing slopes, the snow changed from corn to a transitional not-yet-corn form. By early afternoon the melt had penetrated over a foot into the snow pack below 7500 feet on east facing slopes. Below about 6700 feet on east to north east aspects, signficant snow free patches make snow travel awkward. 

Photo 1: Soft near surface facets on well shaded north facing slopes at the edge of Gilmore lake. There was a very thin melt freeze crust on top here but in nearby locations there the crust was not present. NSFs were about 10 cms deep at this location. 

Photo 2: Ski pole handle plunged over a foot into very soft wet snowpack on an east facing slope of Tallac at 2:30pm around 7300 feet elavation. 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
50% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest