Obs from Hidden Peak

Location Name: 
Hidden Peak
Region: 
West Shore Area
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 01/12/2011 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 58' 44.382" N, 120° 7' 41.5272" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Very little new snow accumulation (about 1cm) in this area. Along the summit ridge, a surface wind crust/slab up to 7cm thick existed in most areas on N-NE-E aspects. Evidence of instability on this surface slab was very isolated at best. Stable conditions existed in the vast majority of areas. The greatest evidence of instability occured in the photo at the noted lat/long. Skier triggered cracking less than 0.5m long of a wind affected new snow surface slab failing up to 7cm down at the deepest portion of the slab. At this location the slab was 4F+ hardness over F hardness old snow/DF. Not a hazard as the area of unstable slab was only about 1m square. Hand pits examining the top 30cm in several other locations in wind loaded areas along the summit ridge revealed a right side up snowpack and a stable shallow surface slab.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
50% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
West
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: