Observations from the North Bowl on Castle Peak

Location Name: 
Castle Peak - North Bowl
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 03/03/2017 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 21' 52.056" N, 120° 20' 43.08" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

N facing aspects still held soft unconsolidated snow on the surface above 8000 ft. Aspects with sun exposure held crusts on the surface that ranged from thin and breakable on ENE aspects to sometimes breakable sometimes supportable on E aspects to supportable firm frozen surfaces on SE-S-SW aspects above 7500 ft. Below 7500 ft. the southerly aspects started to soften by 1 pm.

Snowpit data at various locations in the North Bowl between 8000 and 9000 ft. on N-NE-E aspects did not reveal any signs of lingering instability (ECTN x 4 and PST END 95/100 x 2). General observations also did not show signs of instability except for some cracking on a wind-affected slope undercut by my skin track. This cracking occurred as a result of ski kicks above the skin track. when I kicked above my skin track.  A snowpit from near the site of a skier-triggered avalanche that occurred on 3/2 on a steep convex rollover that had been previously undercut by snowmobile tracks also did not reveal any lingering signs of instability. 

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
75% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

Cloudy weather and wind prevented the snow surface from softening in many places.