Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>While walking through the snow to take measurements I definitely noticed an "inverted" feel to the snowpack. My boots would punch through a stiffer layer into a softer layer near the ground. This was easily discernable with quick hand pits also. I noticed this at all of the locations I stopped at.</p>
I was able to see that a cornice had broken off along The Big Drift. It did not look like it triggered anything below it.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>I am not sure if the inverted layering I found is relevant to any widespread instability. It caught my attention though. It was enough warning to stay clear of the steep slopes although visibility didn't allow for any real travel anyway. I'll take a close look for this type of layering once the storm clears and I can travel around more.</p>
By 12pm 7" of snow had fallen since 5am. Total depths were more than I anticipated. At 1pm, I measured snow at various locations along SR31:
Skyline weather station - 18" Miller Flat parking lot - 25" Candland Trailhead - 25"
Total depths at Miller Flat and Huntington Canyon (Candland TH) were what caught my attention.