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Blue Lakes Avalanche Activity

Location Name: Blue Lake Region: Carson Pass Area Observation Date & Time: Sunday, March 3, 2019 - 12:00
Location: 38.650306, -119.939599 See map: CalTopo	Is this an Avalanche Observation?: Yes Conditions Alerts: Avalanche Activity Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing) Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing)›Shooting Cracks Recent Loading Recent Loading›Blowing Snow Recent Loading›Rain on Snow Terrain Alerts: Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees Obvious Slide Path Terrain Traps Terrain Matches the Advisory

Location Name:

Blue Lake

Region:

Carson Pass Area

Observation Date & Time:

Sunday, March 3, 2019 - 12:00

Location:

38.650306, -119.939599

See map: CalTopo

Is this an Avalanche Observation?:

Yes

Conditions Alerts:

Avalanche Activity
Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing)
Other Signs of Instability (cracking, whumpfing, collapsing)›Shooting Cracks
Recent Loading
Recent Loading›Blowing Snow
Recent Loading›Rain on Snow

Terrain Alerts:

Slopes Steeper than 30 degrees

Obvious Slide Path

Terrain Traps

Terrain Matches the Advisory

Observation made by: Public

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Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions:

Observed several very recent natural D2-D3 avalanches (likely occured late morning 3/3), and triggered small avalanches on wind loaded test slopes. Compression tests in wind sheltered terrain had mixed results on the storm slab.

Terrain Details

Terrain: elevations:

Above Treeline

Near Treeline

Terrain: aspects:

Avalanche Details

Avalanche Type:

Storm Slab

Failure Plane/Weak Layer:

Storm Snow

Additional number of similar avalanches:

Trigger

Trigger:

Natural

Terrain

Start Zone Slope Angle:

35degrees

Aspect:

Northeast

Starting Elevation:

above-treeline

Size

Destructive Size:

D3 Could bury and destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood frame house, or break a few trees.

Relative Size:

R2 Small

Crown Height:

4 ft

Avalanche Width (Average width):

175ft.

Avalanche Length (Vertical Run):

1500ft.

Weather Details

Elevation of Observation:

7000 - 8000 ft.

Blowing Snow:

Moderate

Wind Direction:

Southwest

Wind Speed:

Moderate

Sky Cover:

Overcast - Cloudy - 8/8 covered

Highest Precipitation Rate:

Moderate Snowfall (S2 = 2 cm /~1 in per hour)

Precipitation:

Mixed rain and snow

Air temperature:

Below Freezing

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