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Observation: Lake Peak

Observation Date
1/15/2017
Observer Name
Toddeo
Region
Southwest » Tushers » Lake Peak
Location Name or Route
Tushers - Mount Holly/Lake Peak
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northeast
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Basically all of the above except clear, high peaks socked in most of the day with the exception of the sucker hole that convinced me to summit Mount Holly. Light precip at times, pellets, no accumulation during the day
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Both kinds of snow today; powder and not powder.

A trace of new snow overnight. Some solar aspects are crusted. Souths above 11,200 or so survived.

Some damp snow during a sun/greenhouse event, I did not think I would need skin wax at 11,500' in January.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
Some wind drifts, non reactive. Some new loading in the afternoon with cracking limited to filled in skin tracks from yesterday. High Peaks had plumes in the am. Some minor cracking, soft no shooting. Sleds did test some steep souths yesterday.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

Moderate danger

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Normal Caution
Problem #2 Comments

Normal caution

Snow Profile
Aspect
Northwest
Elevation
11,100'
Slope Angle
35°
Comments

HS - 180 cm, in this sheltered area below the ridge on Lake Peak. Of note, the rain crust was not present at this location/elevation. There was an older crust at 115 cm above the ground. Photo shows ECTN, I was able to pound the top of the shovel with body weight and the column just collapsed below it. ECT was isolated to the crust at 115 cm above the ground.

Photos below:

1. Surface hoar at pit location.

2, Rime at 11,200' was not iced like I observed last week at lower elevations, this is more evidance that this elevation did not get rain.

3. Varied surfaces, drifts present on many aspects in the alpine. The south sides of some drifts were crusted while the north sides were not. Kind of reminded me of the old days at Hunter when the moguls had soft snow on one side and ice on the other!

Overall a moderate danger, I did not see anything alarming.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate