Observations from Tallac

Location Name: 
Mt Tallac
Region: 
Desolation Wilderness Area (including Emerald Bay)
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 03/22/2013 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 54' 52.632" N, 120° 6' 4.4136" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Pic 1: Signs of settlement of storm snow.

Pic 2: Summit bowl of Tallac stripped by previous winds. Although wind slab was encountered on NE aspects, it was generally thin and failed to show signs of propagation potential.

Video: 2x ECTN in the most wind loaded area encountered today. Also at this location, PSTs failed to show propagation potential either above or below the recently buried MFcr. Similar results on due N aspect at 8,500ft. Ski cuts on steep NW, N, NE aspects failed to trigger any instabilites.

Debris from previous wet loose instabilities was visible in the surrounding area, but no loose wet activity was observed today, up to our departure at 1:30pm. On steep solar aspects, storm snow has been saturated and refrozen - in many places indiscernible from the previous MFcr. Lower elevation solar aspects (Maggies) no longer hold enough snow for continuous travel.

 

Snowpack photos: 
Snowpit videos (tests, etc): 

2013.02.22 ECTN at Mt Tallac

Any other comments about the observation or links to outside pages that have more info on the observation: 

Spring Creek approach to Tallac is quite thin. Cascade approach is mostly dry from hwy 89 to Cascade Falls.

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: 

Forecasted NE winds never materialized prior to departure at 1:30pm