Observations from Tamarack Peak - Far East Ridge.

Location Name: 
Tamarack Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 12/20/2016 - 10:15
Location Map: 
United States
39° 18' 50.1552" N, 119° 54' 23.022" W
See map: Google Maps
US



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

Gradual warming occurring, snow falling off of trees up as far as the high point of travel at 9,400'.

Snowpit on N aspect at 8,890' (noted lat/long, profile below) revealed significant facets on top of the Dec 15 rain crust. Snowpit tests indicated that future loading and/or stiffer overlying slab is needed to allow weak layer failure to propagate.

A second pit dug on an E aspect (076 deg), 29 degree slope (39.314049, -119.913023), HS 178 cm, revealed 43 cm of partially settled recent storm snow compared to the 30 cm of recent storm snow at the lower N aspect pit location. A significant rain crust of similar hardness and thickness was observed in both pits, but no facets were observed on top of the crust at the higher E aspect location.

Overall less faceting existed in the higher E aspect pit, but there was a 8 cm thick F hard layer of poorly developed near surface facets about 10 cm above the rain crust and underneath a 4F hard recent storm snow. Top of the rain crust was located at 136 cm in this pit. Snowpit tests on this facet layer yielded ECTN-11 @ 146 cm and 3 x PST 37/100 SF @ 146 cm.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest