whumpfing and snow pit on Trimmer

Location Name: 
ridge below Trimmer Peak
Region: 
Luther Pass Area (including Job and Freel)
Date and time of observation: 
Sat, 03/03/2012 - 10:27
Location Map: 
United States
38° 52' 58.3752" N, 119° 56' 38.7456" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Whumphing noises, shooting cracks, or collapsing
Observation made by: Public
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

 While climbing up to the first ridge on Trimmer Peak a whumpfing near a rock out crop was heard. The whumfing was accompanied by a shooting crack four inches above the skin track about a foot and a half long. A couple hundred feet further up the mountain another whumfing was heard as we passed over a wind loaded area. As my partner penetrated the snow with her pole to inspect layers, the slope above us whumfed and a few seconds later the entire slope below us whumfed. After getting ourselves to a safe location we dug a pit. A compression test showed a Q1 failure, 45 cm down, on the fourth tap from the wrist. The column of snow that came off was totally solid and stayed together when rolled down the slope. 

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

 Clear beautiful morning. No wind, warmed as the sun came up.