Observations from Tamarack Peak.

Location Name: 
Tamarack Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 03/21/2017 - 10:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 19' 1.2684" N, 119° 55' 9.264" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

New snow amounts on Tamarack Peak above 8,500 were 4 to 6 inches in wind protected areas. Below 8,000', new snow amounts were 2 inches or less down to 7,200' along the Mount Rose Hwy. Wind drifted areas near the summit of Tamarack Peak held wind slabs 8 to 10 inches thick during the late morning hours. Very minor amounts of skier triggered cracking were observed with no significant propagation. A test pit was dug on a wind loaded test slope at treeline along the summit ridge at 9,800' on a NE aspect (noted lat/long). ECTs in that testpit yielded repeatable ECTN results adjacent to areas of minor ski triggered cracking on the test slope. Visibility was too poor near the summit to see any signs of avalanche activity when looking into avalanche paths from the ridgetop.

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: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour
More detailed information about the weather: 

Snow level was observed to range between  6,700' and 7,500' during the morning hours on Brockway Summit and Mount Rose Hwy. Snowfall rates in the Mount Rose area were just below 1 inch per hour at times from 9 to 10:45 am. At 10:45 am, snowfall tapered to very light showers with almost no snowfall at times.