Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

My touring partner and I began our tour at 17:15 from Sunrise Parking Lot when it was overcast with a light E wind. At 19:15 the E wind had increased to moderate and a light snowfall had begun. Along our route we observed crusts in exposed areas and still soft snow in tree sheltered areas.

Our goal was to find a wind slab with similar properties to what we found yesterday on Pea Gravel Ridge at a similar elevation and aspect. We dug a pit at 5,725 ft on an E aspect. Our Weber meat thermometer read -4.7 degrees Celsius air temperature at the snow surface and we measured a 30 degrees slope angle. Our compression tests resulted in fractures with these key results: CTM @45cm (SP) and CTH @55cm (RP). In testing propagation we observed a sudden planar fracture that was ECTP 22 @45cm (see freeze frames in pictures).