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Snowpit below M-Chutes

Location Name: Below Scott Peak Region: Blackwood Canyon or Ward Canyon Area Observation Date & Time: Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - 11:30
Location: 39.174800, -120.223900 See map: CalTopo	Is this an Avalanche Observation?: No Conditions Alerts: Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing) Persistent Problem Rapid or Prolonged Warming›Warm Temperatures Recent Loading›Blowing Snow Recent Loading›More Than a Foot of New Snow Recent Loading›Snowfall Rates of More Than 1 in/hr Terrain Alerts: Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees Obvious Slide Path Trigger Points Terrain Traps Terrain Matches the Advisory

Location Name:

Below Scott Peak

Region:

Blackwood Canyon or Ward Canyon Area

Observation Date & Time:

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - 11:30

Location:

39.174800, -120.223900

See map: CalTopo

Is this an Avalanche Observation?:

Conditions Alerts:

Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing)
Persistent Problem
Rapid or Prolonged Warming›Warm Temperatures
Recent Loading›Blowing Snow
Recent Loading›More Than a Foot of New Snow
Recent Loading›Snowfall Rates of More Than 1 in/hr

Terrain Alerts:

Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees

Obvious Slide Path

Trigger Points

Terrain Traps

Terrain Matches the Advisory

Observation made by: Public

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Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions:

Went for a short tour over really mellow terrain in search of the buried surface hoar. Surface hoar was found 65cm below the new storm snow and was easily identified. Surface hoar was very reactive in snowpit tests.

Encountered heavy, wet, and punchy snow the entire way to my pit location. Heavy snow is sitting on top of fist hard storm snow from 1/15/19. Minor cracking around skis while breaking trail but did not observe any shooting cracks or collapsing.

New snow began to fall on my descent around 12:15.

Surface hoar buried under 65cm of new snow

Surface hoar grains removed from bottom of slab on ECTP6

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph:

Snowpack Details

Total Snow Depth:

196cm

Persistent Weak Layers:

Buried

Terrain Details

Terrain: elevations:

Below Treeline

Terrain: aspects:

Weather Details

Elevation of Observation:

6000-7000 ft.

Blowing Snow:

Light

Wind Direction:

Southwest

Wind Speed:

Light

Sky Cover:

Overcast - Cloudy - 8/8 covered

Highest Precipitation Rate:

Light Snowfall (S1 (S-1 = 1 cm /~.5 in per hour)

Precipitation:

Snow

Air temperature:

Above Freezing

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Snowpit below M-Chutes

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Snowpit below M-Chutes

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