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Snowpit from 9100 ft Avalanche Gulch

Looking up skiers gully
Location Name: 
Near top of skiers gully
Region: 
Mt. Shasta
Date and time of observation: 
Sat, 01/20/2018 - 7:15pm
Observation made by: 
Public
Red Flags:
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain

Location Map

96067 Mount Shasta , CA
United States
41° 22' 43.842" N, 122° 12' 54.6336" W
See map: Google Maps
California US

Snowpack Observations

Details

Below treeline Surface hoar was seen, and in areas it seemed graupel was mixed among the crystals.  After climbing above aprox 7500 feet the surface hoar was no longer seen.  Winds were coming from N NW by 10am with visible wind transport occuring on the ridgelines such as Casaval Ridge.  Snow could be seen blowing into Gidy Gidy Gulch, and the upper parts of Avalanche Gulch.  Scouring had clearly occured in the gulch as near the crest of nearly all moraines were sheets of Ice, and strarugi.

Snowpit

The most recent layer of snow that has settled seems to be consolidating, but has a weak layer that wasn't seen until completing shovel sheer and compression tests.  Aprox 38cm down it seems to have a layer of facets that is less than 1cm thick.  (STE at 38cm Q2, ECTN29 at 63cm Q3, and CT30 at 61cm Q3) A large temperature gradient was found in the top 40cm of snow depth.  

Photos

  • surface hoar
  • Snow Transport
  • Snowpit

Weather Observations

Details

Winds were increasing throughout the morning, and were now coming from NNE.  Clouds were starting to build around the mountain by 11am and continued throughout the duration of the pit tests.  Snow was blowing and being transported from the N to southerly aspects.  Strong gusts of aprox 20mph were sporadic on the descent, but felt.

Statistics

Cloud Cover: 
25% of the sky covered by clouds
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Accumulation rate: 
None
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Speed: 
Light
Wind Direction: 
Southwest