Observations from Echo Lakes area

Location Name: 
Becker Peak and Talking Mountain
Region: 
Echo Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 02/02/2010 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 49' 59.0952" N, 120° 4' 7.6368" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Obvious avalanche path
Terrain Trap
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

2x ECTN with moderate compressive compression at 10cm and a hard break at 35cm on wind loaded N/NE aspect 40 degree slope off Becker Pk. Someone had used the adjacent slope as a test slope with propagation and slab fracture results several days ago. Even undercutting this fresh test slope and ski cutting it produced no results today.

1x ECTN with moderate compressive compression at 15cm (same interface as above, between wind blown and old storm snow) and a hard break at 35cm just off the summit of Talking Mtn.

"Rightside up" snowpack observed on both wind-loaded aspects just off the summit of each peak, with the exception of a pencil hard thin crust layer in between two 4 finger layers at 50cm. No failures observed at this interface.

We had 5 skiers on very steep N facing terrain on different peaks in the area, and regularly produced sluffs that added significant stress to the slopes below, with no additional fractures.

Any other comments about the observation or links to outside pages that have more info on the observation: 

 

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Cooling
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

Light snowfall observed in the AM over Carson Pass area. By lunchtime, temps cooled and very light snow began falling around Echo Lakes area.