Snowpack Observations from Silver Peak

Location Name: 
Silver Peak
Region: 
Cabin Creek, Deep Creek, or Pole Creek Area
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 02/03/2014 - 11:45
Location Map: 
United States
39° 13' 26.3352" N, 120° 14' 45.7692" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Obvious avalanche path
Terrain Trap
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Above 7500 ft. 15 to 25 cm of soft unconsolidated snow existed at the top of the snowpack. This soft snow consisted of snow that fell yesterday and last night and the snow that fell at the end of the recent storm. Between these two accumulation events surface hoar formed on the snow and the 5-10cm of new snow that fell yesterday buried this fragile layer. It is difficult to see, but snowpit data showed that it existed on Silver Peak. Below the soft snow a thick and hard rain crust existed with a firm layer of refrozen snow below that. At the bottom of the snowpack some areas still hold moist soft snow that has not yet refrozen.

Near the ridgelines some very small wind slabs up to 30 cm deep existed. Ski cuts on wind loaded test slopes and snowpit tests indicated that these small wind slabs have bonded well to the snow below them.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
75% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
Southwest