Castle Lake - Test Profile, Old Avalanches, General Conditions

Observations around Castle Lake:

• Height of storm snow (HST): 30 cm (12 in), snow light and dry, sitting atop thick rain crust from 2/13.
• Height of snow (HS): 300 cm
• Ridges and open areas are wind textured and scoured. Several slopes over 35 degrees are old bed surfaces littered with cornice and avalanche debris.
• Treed areas and aspects protected from the wind are holding the best snow.
• Evidence of old avalanches and cornice breaks exist on Right Peak and Upper and Lower Middle Peak (see images).
• A D1.5 skier triggered avalanche occurred on a west facing aspect. Hard wind slab broke sympathetically to a less steep slope. It fractured just above an ice layer at a convexity. Slope angle was near 35 degrees. See observation for details.
• Test profile indicated strong temperature gradient across rain crust from 2/13/19 and newer light snow. Minor faceting has occurred in snowpack. No notable column tests results.