Melt-Freeze Conditions on Rubicon

Location Name: 
Rubicon Peak
Region: 
West Shore Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 04/05/2016 - 11:30
Location Map: 
United States
38° 59' 20.6484" N, 120° 7' 53.5008" W
US



Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

A supportable melt freeze crust existed on all aspects of Rubicon Peak this morning. The frozen surfaces began softening as soon as the sun hit the slopes on any aspects. By 11:30 am E aspects held 5 to 8 cm of wet snow on top of the supportable crusts above 8000 ft. At about the 8000 ft. level the crust had almost become unsupportable by that time and boot penetration had increased from 5-8 cm to ankle deep. On the northerly aspects, the crusts stayed frozen longer, but they still held transitional snow underneath them and the snow surfaces became wet and sticky when they warmed up instead of behaving more like corn snow. 

Photo 1: Evidence of the melt-freeze crust becoming unsupportable on an E aspect at 8000 ft. near rocks at 11:35 am. Note the small crack above my skis indicating that the crust can no longer support my weight at this spot.

Photo 2: Ankle deep wet snow on an E aspect at 8000 ft. at 11:30 am.

Photo 3: 5-8 cm deep corn snow on an E aspect at 8800 ft.

Photo 4: Boot top deep wet snow on a N aspect at 8600 ft. 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Air temperature trend: 
Warming