Observations from Frog Lake Cliffs.

Location Name: 
Frog Lake Cliffs
Region: 
Carson Pass Area
Date and time of observation: 
Thu, 12/18/2014 - 12:40
Location Map: 
United States
38° 41' 1.104" N, 119° 58' 57.792" W
See map: Google Maps
US



Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Evidence of wind slab instability in this area today was limited to snowpit tests. Formal snowpit (pit graph) at noted lat/long (NE aspect, 9,040') and a second testpit (video) located further north at N 38.68933, W 119.98645 (NW aspect, 8,900') both produced ECTP results. The weak layer was noted as a lower density layer of recent storm snow. This same snowpack structure of wind slab on top of lower density storm snow has been observed at the many areas of wind slab instability over the past few days. This same snowpack structure was also observed at the site of the skier triggered avalanche that occurred near Elephant's Back on Dec 13. This weak layer is the suspected failure layer at the many wind slab avalanches triggered by the public in recent days.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpit videos (tests, etc): 

20141218 ECTP near Frog Lake, Carson Pass, CA.

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Air temperature trend: 
Cooling
Wind Direction: 
Southwest