Evidence of True Freeze

Location Name: 
Emerald Bay Chutes
Region: 
Desolation Wilderness Area (including Emerald Bay)
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 57' 49.968" N, 120° 7' 1.4844" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Melt layer limited to top 5cm of snowpack even in most direct solar aspects at mid day. Mitt pits showed that unconsolidated melt forms with minimal free water remain below the supportable sub-surface layer. Minimal boot pen, from 1cm to 15cm.

Shaded aspects remained firm, and aspects recently shaded in the early afternoon quickly returned to firm (I opted for ski crampons above 8000ft on such aspects). Similarly, compacted surface snow (previous ski tracks and roller ball tracks) remained firm but edgeable even in the sun.

Pic: A supportable snowpack observed throughout travels from 7000ft to 9000ft on E, SE, S aspects, including on lower elevation snow in the trees.

 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Moderate
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
East
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: 

Light to Moderate E wind continued until my departure mid afternoon.

Low dense clouds observed over Tallac and Echo areas until 12:00 noon, and over the Carson Range (Jobs, Freel, Heavenly area) and South towards Ebbets Pass until my departure. Cloud cover was dense enough to have prevented significant solar radiation in these areas.