The last avalanche forecast for the 2023-2024 season will post on April 21st. Thank you to all who contributed to the avalanche center this season through observations, volunteer time, and/or financial contributions.

Snow Pit- Little Truckee Summit- Bear Valley

Location Name: Bear Valley Via Meadow Lake Rd Region: Independence Lake Area Observation Date & Time: Sunday, February 3, 2019 - 13:45
Location: 39.429342, -120.424715 See map: CalTopo	Is this an Avalanche Observation?: No Conditions Alerts: Recent Loading Recent Loading›Blowing Snow Recent Loading›More Than a Foot of New Snow Recent Loading›Snowfall Rates of More Than 1 in/hr

Observation made by: Public

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Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions:

New snow falling at rate of 1” to 2” per hour. Steady winds with large occasional gusts. Below freezing temps, with temps dropping throughout the day. We dug a snow pit about 300cm wide & preformed two 30cm square column tests and one 90cm wide by 30cm. Total snow depth in location was 400cm. New snow depth from Friday’s crust layer is roughly 90cm

We observed Failures on multiple layers in the storm snow but could not get propagation. Failure on storm snow with 3 taps of the wrist.

NW aspect at 8,000’

(Independence lake area.)
HS:380cm-400cm
Multiple density changes in storm snow.
CTE2down18SC
CTE3down32sc
CTM3down38SC
CTM6down50RP

ECTN18down50

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph:

Snowpack Details

Total Snow Depth:

400cm

Persistent Weak Layers:

Not observed

Terrain Details

Terrain: elevations:

Below Treeline

Terrain: aspects:

Weather Details

Elevation of Observation:

7000 - 8000 ft.

Blowing Snow:

Intense

Wind Direction:

North

Wind Speed:

Strong

Sky Cover:

Overcast - Cloudy - 8/8 covered

Highest Precipitation Rate:

Heavy Snowfall (S5 = 5 cm /~2 in per hour)

Precipitation:

Snow

Air temperature:

Below Freezing

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Snow Pit- Little Truckee Summit- Bear Valley

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Snow Pit- Little Truckee Summit- Bear Valley

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