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Conditions Update Near & Above Treeline

Location Name: 
Gray Butte / Old Ski Bowl
Region: 
Mt. Shasta
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 01/17/2020 - 2:30pm
Observation made by: 
Forecaster

Location Map

96067 Mount Shasta , CA
United States
41° 20' 44.4948" N, 122° 11' 43.6416" W
California US

Snowpack Observations

Details

Observations on Gray Butte and the Old Ski Bowl:

  • TIME: 20200117 - 14:30
  • ASPECT: Northeast
  • ELEVATION: 8,000 ft
  • SKY: Obscured
  • PRECIPITATION: NO
  • BLOWING SNOW: No
  • TEMPERATURE: 30°F
  • BOOT / SKI PENENTRATION: 80 cm (31 in) , 20 cm (8 in)
  • HEIGHT OF SNOW (HS): 230 cm (91 in)
  • HEIGHT OF STORM SNOW (HST): 70 cm (27 in)
  • WIND: Light
  • COLUMN & BLOCK TESTS:
    • CTV ↓ 105 cm SP
    • CT17 ↓ 105 cm SP
    • CT21 ↓ 108 cm SP
    • ECTX, ECTN21
    • DT7 ↓ 108 cm SP
    • DT11 ↓ 108 cm SP
    • PST 30/100 End SP ↓ 108cm

No signs of a storm slab problem were encountered. Wind slab development was minimal and wind drifts and cornices were unreactive. No cracking or blocking were seen. Some drifts (2-3 ft deep) were hollow sounding. Ski tests and column tests yielded no notable results in the new snow. Snow surfaces above treeline had very little wind affect. Snow was up to your waist.

Weak layers exists just below 100 cm, above and below a rotten crust. Weak layers are 4F-F hard unbonded sugary snow.  Deep tap tests and propagating saw tests both indicate easy to moderate, propagating, sudden planar failures.

 

Photos

  • PST 30/100 End SP ↓ 108cm
  • Old Ski Bowl, very deep conditions, no signs of avalanches above treeline
  • View from Bunny Flat, 21 inches of new snow, road closed
  • Easy to get stuck on a snowmobile, very deep
  • Cornices and wind drifts unreactive to ski cuts
  • Deep weak layers above and below rotten crust, down about 105 cm
  • Ski penetration up to 8 inches

Weather Observations

Statistics

Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Blowing Snow: 
No
Precipitation: 
None
Accumulation rate: 
None
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Speed: 
Light