Minimum Loose Wet Activity in the Mt. Rose Area

Location Name: 
Mt. Houghton
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 03/29/2013 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 19' 54.5844" N, 119° 56' 4.8624" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

A trace to 1'' of new snow in the Mt. Rose area today.  Marginal freeze overnight with areas of punchy snow below 9000'.  On north aspects there was smooth skiing with 1'' of new snow over a ski supportable melt freeze crust.  On solar aspects, S-E there was 3-4'' of wet snow on the surface by 10:30am.  There was some minor wet snow instabilities but all of these were limited to the upper 3-4'' of wet snow on the surface.  Below 9400', the surface snow was sticky on all solar aspects by 11:00am.

Video:  North bowl of Tamarack Peak, 9730;, 35 degree slope.  CT-21 and CT-24 Q2's on loose snow between 2 melt freeze crusts.  ECTN on this weakness.  March 6 facets were not reactive.  N 39.32117 W 119.92344.

Photo#1:  View of southeast side of Mt. Houghton

Photo#2:  Small roller balls while skiing on north side of Tamarack Peak, 9000'.

Photo#3:  Loose wet activity on SE gullies of Mt. Houghton, 9400' at 11:30am.

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
South
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

12:05pm, SE Gully Mt. Houghton, 9985'.

Light S winds, AirTemp 2.5c, Tsurf 0c, T20 0c.

HS 195cm, BootPen 15cm, Snow surface-wet grains.