Conditions on Tallac

Location Name: 
Tallac
Region: 
Desolation Wilderness Area (including Emerald Bay)
Date and time of observation: 
Thu, 01/14/2010 - 11:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 54' 29.664" N, 120° 6' 2.7" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Photo 1: 1cm surface hoar observed to +/- 8,000ft. still present even on sun exposed slopes on our descent at 12pm.

 

Photo 2: These skier triggered sluffs added a significant load with no additional fractures.

 

Video: ECTN with some PC in the new snow / wind transported snow. Similar results in 2nd test. Tests done at given lat / long coordinates, on a N,NE aspect 30 degree slope at 9,000 feet. Previous wind loading.

 

Moderate traffic today on Tallac with no skier triggered avalanches (besides sluffs as pictured) observed. No shooting cracks or whumphing observed.

 

At +/- 8,000ft and below, the melt freeze crust was a distinct hard layer under low density, unconsolidated snow. I ski cut several likely trigger points  with no results - not even sluffs - at this interface.

Snowpack photos: 
Any other comments about the observation or links to outside pages that have more info on the observation: 

 

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
East
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: