(more) strong snow on Andesite Peak

Location Name: 
Andesite Peak
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 03/13/2017 - 10:10
Location Map: 
United States
39° 21' 3.204" N, 120° 21' 57.924" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Rapid warming
Observation made by: Educator at Donner Summit Avalanche Seminars
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Modest freeze overnight formed barely ski-supportable crusts in Castle Valley this morning.  No crust formed under the trees.  Near the top of Andesite Peak we dug into lots of strong snow.  MF crust/wet grain complex dominating the top 10-15 cm, but still cold (-3 C) snows 60-80 deep.  Third location in three days to reveal these colder snows.  At about 0900 we had excavated an RB down lower (~7800') on a steep sunny aspect, then left it to bake.  We returned about 1130, cut the back of the block, and loaded 'er up with a willing skier: RB7.  Skiing was slow, wet, sticky; semi-supportable on open, north-leaning aspects.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
South
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: