More Whumphing and unstable results at Incline Peak

Location Name: 
Incline Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Observation Date & Time: 
Friday, December 9, 2022 - 10:00
Location: 
39.299590, -119.939870
Is this an Avalanche Observation?: 
No


Conditions Alerts:


Terrain Alerts: 
Terrain Matches the Advisory

Observation made by: Guide at Tahoe Mountain School

Tabs

Observation
Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions: 

Made a plan to return to Incline Peak to monitor the condition of the 12/1 weak layer in one of my favorite ski zones. Despite the lack of recent avalanches I decided to stick to terrain less than 30 degrees and unconnected to any steep terrain. 

Reaching 9000' ish I probed around a bit finding variable depths and thickness of the facet layer. I was targeting this kind of near treeline terrain that is somewhat exposed to the E winds where the facets may be less consistently protected from the wind event(s) that occured before burial of the facets at the start of the month. This represents some of the most suspect terrain in my mind. 

At 9000' on a NE aspect I dug a snowpit to continue to monitor the reactivity of the 12/1 layer. Ski pen at this location was 15 cm, boot pen 45. While digging the snowpit as I stepped down into the facets I triggered a loud whumph. The snowpit showed expected structure with a 1 Finger hard settled slab on top of still Fist hard dry facets that bounced in the hand and would not clump when squeezed (See pit graph). 

Tests in this pit indicated likely propagation with an ECTP 28 at 40cm (top of 12/1) facets, and a PST 37/100 End in the same part of the layer

Ski conditions were great in the low angle terrain I skiied, fast and supportable. 

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Hide Snowpack Details
Total Snow Depth: 
123cm
Persistent Weak Layers: 
Buried
Hide Terrain Details
Terrain: elevations: 
Near Treeline
Terrain: aspects: 
N
NE
Hide Weather Details
Elevation of Observation: 
8000 - 9000 ft.
Blowing Snow: 
None
Wind Direction: 
South
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Sky Cover: 
Broken - Mostly Cloudy - more than 4/8 and less than 8/8
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
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