Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Did laps on W and SW aspects of Kendall Knob via PCT to ~3800ft from about 0730 to 1130.

By the end of the tour, quick hand pits showed the snowpack was ~1-2cm of graupel over a thin, fragile rain crust, over 60+cm of fist-hard snow.

On the way up, several hand shear tests, test slopes, and skin track isolation didn’t produce obvious signs of instability. By the end of the day, the top 10-15cm of snow had gotten slightly more reactive and there were a few 2-5ft shooting cracks.

Skies were OVC to X. Winds C to L. Precipitation varied from freezing rain to snow (ca. S-1) to graupel. Precipitation type seemed to vary more with time of day than aspect or elevation.