Observations from Cascade drainage

Location Name: 
Mt Tallac
Region: 
Desolation Wilderness Area (including Emerald Bay)
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 12/31/2012 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 55' 5.3436" N, 120° 6' 12.8484" 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: 

Cold day on Cascade side of Mt Tallac today, with low density F and F- snow remaining in the top 30cm. Early stages of NSF observed, with Tsurf -8 and T10 -12 at 7600ft and Tsurf -9 and T10 -13 at 8800ft. T20 and T30 both -10 at each location. Yesterday's skin track clearly beginning to facet at the surface.

Pic 1: Widespread graupel at the surface on lower angled slopes and in concavities. 1-5cm thick layer.

Pic 2: On steeper slopes, very low density, large plates and stellars would be easy to mistake for surface hoar.

Pic 3: Tiger striping indicative of mid-slope cross loading on Janine's.

Pic 4: Widespread settlement cones even though top 30cm remains low density.

At 7600ft: Facet crust combo at its shallowest at 130cm. Dec 12th facets becoming hard to identify at this location. Snow densities "right side up" above Dec 12th. 2xECTN PC within recent storm snow. A low density, 5cm thick graupel layer buried 30cm down was observed here and then consistently to 8900ft via mitt pits. But snow above this layer remains too unconsolidated to exhibit slab characteristics.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: 

90% cloud cover arrived over Desolation mid-afternoon.