Stevens Ridge

Snowfall in the previous 24 hours provided a nice refresh to the surface. The rain line appeared to land somewhere between 5700'6000'. New snow totals measured around 6400' showed about 4"-6" of heavy snow. The added weight proved to be enough to make the persistent weak layers we have been tracking wake up and finally become reactive, producing the first propagating results in snowpack tests. North and east aspects at mid and upper elevations are likely hiding the most reactive buried surface hoar, with thicker slabs resting on the weak layer.  

Observed signs of natural point releases near rocky outcroppings and rollerballs growing to large sizes. Wet snow and mild temperatures caused surface snow to lose cohesion.

We traveled on ridgeline taking advantage of differing aspects to document weak layers in the top 30cm (1 foot) of the snowpack. On a Northeast aspect at 6400 feet we observed moderate force propagation ECT results and easy CT SP results down 23cm on 1/28 surface hoar. 

On a Northeast aspect at 6350 feet a similar snowpack structure was observed with moderate force CT SP and ECTN test results on 1/28 SH, down 15cm. At this location the mid January crust was more broken down/decomposing - about 1.5cm thick and 1F hard.

On a Southeast aspect at the same elevation, we observed similar test scores as the Northeast aspect but the results were under the mid January crust made up of melt forms and faceted grains, 1 -2mm in size and down 15cm from the surface. We did not find the 1/28 surface hoar at this location. 

At around 5700 feet we observed a transition to all moist to wet snow grains in the top 1 foot of the snowpack, or even deeper. This was around the elevation of the overnight rain line and disappearance of dry/moist new surface snow.