Please remember that these observations indicate what was going on in the snowpack at a single point in time and space. They may not represent conditions where you are or where you plan to be. They also come from a variety of sources. SAC cannot vouch for the quality or accuracy of any observations that come from the general public. Some of these may be professional quality observations; some may not. Please use observations listed on this page as part of your information gathering process, but as always don't make decisions based on a single piece of information. If you are looking for more information on how to understand the information on this page, all of the pit data graphs and stability tests are part of what is presented in a Level II avalanche class that follows the American Avalanche Association (AAA) or American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) curriculum guidelines. All of the coding and abbreviations for data presented follows the publication Snow, Weather, and Avalanches: Observational Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States (SWAG) which is the standard for all professional avalanche programs in the US. An electronic copy is available here. Most of what you are looking for is in Chapter 2 and Appendix F part 1. We use a program called SnowPilot to create the snowpit graphs. It is available as an online tool or as a downloadable program at http://www.snowpilot.org/. This website also has a quick video and user guide on how to use create snowpits. Please send us your observations using the button above.
Date and time of observation or avalanche occurrence Location Region Observation Type Photos Snowpack, Avalanche, Weather Videos Snowpit videos (tests, etc) Observation made by
04/03/2020 - 12:00 Elephant's Hump Carson Pass Area Snowpack Observation Small and shallow loose wet activity on an east facing slope. Rock hard conditions around 11am on an open north facing slope. A few hundred feet away from the open clearing, north facing trees had soft surface conditions. Top meter of snow. ECTN 15 Professional Observer
12/05/2019 - 12:00 Indian Valley Ebbetts Pass Area Snowpack Observation Professional Observer
04/10/2020 - 12:00 Red Lake Peak Carson Pass Area Snowpack Observation Professional Observer
01/28/2020 - 10:00 Stevens Peak Carson Pass Area Snowpack Observation Leeward shoulder of a windy ridge. Hand hardness. 175 cm total snow height. Scoured highpoint on a ridge. Very small skier triggered wind slab. Debris from small wind slab showing cohesive blocks still present. Professional Observer
01/18/2020 - 13:30 Border Ruffian Carson Pass Area Avalanche Observation Professional Observer
11/27/2019 - 11:30 East Ridge Tamarack Peak Mount Rose Area Avalanche Observation Facets under new storm snow. Scoured Ridge, Loaded Slope Wind Slab Avalanche Professional Observer
01/08/2020 - 12:00 Becker Peak Echo Summit Area Snowpack Observation Professional Observer
12/19/2019 - 14:30 Rubicon Peak West Shore Area Snowpack Observation sastruigi scoured and loaded Professional Observer
01/24/2020 - 13:15 Scout Peak Echo Summit Area Snowpack Observation Wet conditions in the shaded trees on Echo Summit (these drops were liquid, not frozen). Hand hardness. 170 cm total snow height. 2cm rain crust on surface that was frozen in open areas. Professional Observer
12/07/2019 - 11:00 Hope Valley to Indian Valley Ebbetts Pass Area Snowpack Observation Professional Observer
04/08/2020 - 09:30 Powderhouse Peak Luther Pass Area (including Job and Freel) Snowpack Observation Blowing snow could be observed on the Little Round Top ridgeline. The crust below the new snow can be observed about 54 cms below surface. ECTP 30 down 54 cms. Professional Observer
04/27/2020 - 10:00 Forestdale Carson Pass Area Snowpack Observation Professional Observer
03/25/2020 - 13:30 Powderhouse Peak Luther Pass Area (including Job and Freel) Snowpack Observation ECTN 18 down 38 cms Hand hardness. I removed the snow around the faint crust down 40 cms. Professional Observer
03/02/2020 - 09:00 Echo Lake Echo Summit Area Snowpack Observation A small natural wind slab on a south facing feature. One ECTN and then multiple ECTPs where the fresh snow was slightly deeper. Looking at the still stout crust. The weak snow above was the active weak layer in these tests. Looking at the crust weak layers with the new snow above. PST 18/100 END targeting the weak snow just above the crust. Professional Observer
11/30/2019 - 12:15 Elephant's Back Carson Pass Area Snowpack Observation Cracking near cornice features Still very thin and rocky in this north facing 9000 foot elevation terrain. Looking at the base of a 75cm snow pack. An ECTP 13 that broke at the ground. This followed a CTM 15 (SC) in same location. Professional Observer

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