Large roller balls and some loose wet snow sluffing on Silver Peak

Location Name: 
Silver Peak
Region: 
Cabin Creek, Deep Creek, or Pole Creek Area
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 01/17/2011 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 12' 47.8908" N, 120° 14' 57.2064" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Terrain Trap
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

On the E-SE-S-SW aspects, 4-6 inches of wet, sticky snow existed by 10 am up to 8000ft. In areas near bushes and rocks where the snowpack was more shallow some skier-triggered collapses occured on these aspects. On 35-40 degree test slopes on SE-S-SW aspects between 7200 ft and 8000 ft, ski cuts caused large roller balls and some wet loose sluffs. None of these entrained enough snow to bury a person, but some of the larger roller balls could have easily knocked someone off course. By noon I sunk into my boot tops in wet snow on these sun exposed aspects between 8200 ft and 6200 ft.  On the N-NE aspects that are less exposed to the sun a thin (up to 1 inch) frozen crust had formed overnight. It varied from supportable to breakable in this area.

Photo 1: 2-3 ft roller balls triggerred by a ski cut on a 36 degree, SE facing test slope at 7800 ft.

Photo 2: Wet loose sluff triggerred by a ski kick on a 37 degree SSE facing test slope at 7600 ft.

Photo 3: Larger skier triggerred wet loose sluff at 7400 ft.

Photo 4: Frozen melt-freeze crust on a NE aspect at 8200 ft.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: