Stable Spring Conditions on Castle Peak

Location Name: 
South Side Castle Peak
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 02/03/2013 - 13:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 21' 45.4572" N, 120° 20' 40.758" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Spring conditions dominated in the Castle Peak area today with very good snow stability.  South aspects provided good corn skiing conditions throughout the day with 2-3’’ of moist snow on top of a substantial, strong, melt freeze crust that was 4-6’’ thick.  East and West aspects also had 2-3’’ of moist snow on top of a smaller 2’’ melt freeze crust that was strong and pencil hard.  Shaded aspects were mostly firm and showed no signs of softening at all throughout the day.  Exposed, upper elevation NE-NW aspects that had been wind scoured by the previous N-E wind events were scoured down to very firm conditions with little travel options.  No signs of any wet snow instabilities throughout the whole day while skiing through steeper terrain on solar aspects.  Snow coverage on solar aspects is still manageable but snow melt is noticable. 

 

 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Northeast
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

South Side Castle Peak, 11:30am, 7343’, Tsurf -1c, ATemp 5.5c, M/F crust surface snow, HS=150cm, calm winds.

South Side Castle Peak, 12:45pm, 8002’, Tsurf -.5c, ATemp 5c, L-SE winds, HS=155cm, M/F crust surface snow.

North Side Castle Peak, 1:30pm, 8700’, L-NE winds, scoured rain crust surface snow.