Birch Creek

A generally stable snowpack persists. After the rain/snow event on 12/22, we have an even wider variety surfaces. The 12/12 interface is present in this zone, however proved unreactive and not currently of concern.

No recent significant signs of instability observed.

With uncertainty around road coverage heading up the standard approach and needing to get observations on a time crunch during a forecast/work day, I opted to head up from Bishop Park Campground. This ensured I would at least have observations from Bishop Bowl, but as you would probably guess, I cannot recommend it due to low coverage right now.

Per expectations, solar slopes leaving Bishop Park Campground from 8300-9400' had small remnants of snow, but travel was faster walking on the ample dry dirt patches available on just slightly more southerly aspects. At least the sage smells good! The snow/rain line from the day prior (12/22) was faint but present around 9300'. This reinforced weather station observations that little precipitation fell this far south. Popping out onto the bench below Bishop Bowl, surfaces were a mix, primarily impenetrable wind-pack in exposed locations on the plateau, with an icy slickness to them from the rain down low. HS on the plateau varied from 20-31cm. Contouring terrain towards Birch, warming old faceted snow near vegetation and trees made for character-building travel, with intermittent steps on the surface before popping into a bush. Reaching higher into terrain near 10200', HS increased up to 41cm in only sheltered locations. 

Digging into the snow twice on E and NE aspects near 10,000', I found the presence of the 12/12 interface. This largely presented as small (1.5-2.5mm) facets below windboard, but it largely proved to be not of concern in stability tests. I traveled as such.