Deep day on backside of Freel and Job's

Location Name: 
Freel and Job's
Region: 
Luther Pass Area (including Job and Freel)
Date and time of observation: 
Thu, 02/23/2017 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 51' 4.3416" N, 119° 53' 56.526" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Deep day on backside of Freel and Job's. The wet layer observed 100cm down yesterday, Feb 22nd, was partially frozen and mostly supportable today, making for relatively easy travel within the 100cm of cold powder on top of this layer. Only instabilities observed were small Loose Dry on steep slopes.

Pic 1: E facing slopes on backside of Freel showing Loose Dry within overnight snow, likely from morning sun warming the rocks. Although previously wind loaded, no evidence of unstable wind slab on multiple test slopes on similar aspects and elevations. We did travel on previously wind loaded terrain up to 10,200 on both Freel and Job's, but not on the Tahoe Basin side of Freel nor the Carson Valley side of Job's, which likely were more wind loaded.

Pic 2: NW winds were not observed to transport significant snow. This plume off Armstrong Peak was a rare sight today.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
50% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
Northwest
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: 

Brief periods of S1 graupel, but no measurable accumulation observed.