Observations from Stanford Rocks

Below 7400 ft. a supportable rain crust existed under 3-4 inches of cold soft snow on NW-N-NE aspects. On the low elevation southerly aspects, surface conditions were more variable and ranged from sometimes supportable to sometimes breakable. Above 7400 ft. on the northerly aspects the rain crust diminished and by 8000 ft. it no longer existed. On the upper elevation northerly aspects the snow remained soft and unconsolidated. Below the surface snowpit observations did find the Jan. 9th buried surface hoar layer at 7300 ft. (39.136860, -120.205330) and 8300 ft. (39.12514, --120.204654) on N and NE aspects. Tests on targeting this layer did not reveal any signs of instabilities and showed it to be gaining strength and assimilating into the snowpack in both locations. These snowpit tests also did not find any other indications of instabilities in the snowpack which consisted of a mix of rounded snow, rain crusts, and recent snow. Ski cuts and small cornice pieces dropped on previously wind loaded test slopes also did not produce any signs of instability. Some new surface hoar had formed on the surface between 7800 ft. and 6600 ft. and measured up to 3-4 mm in size. 

Test results from 7300 ft: ECTX, Deep ECTX, PST 95/100 END both @95cm on buried rounding surface hoar. Some additional ECTN's in the upper snowpack.

Test results from 8300 ft: ECTX, Deep ECTX 105cm below the surface on buried rounding surface hoar. Some additional ECTN's in the upper snowpack. 

Photo: New surface hoar on the snow surface. This layer existed on open N-NE facing slopes between 7800 ft. and 6600 ft.