Observation Date
1/6/2020
Observer Name
Darce Trotter / Steve Cote
Region
Skyline » Huntington Canyon » Electric Lake » Electric Lake Bowl
Location Name or Route
Upper Electric Lake Bowl (Killywatt Bowl)
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
cold temps keeping the snow very nice, Ridgetop winds 15 mph or so, but blocked by trees just off ridge
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Faceted Loose
Snow Characteristics Comments
Surface Hoar forming on just above all sheltered aspects, larger NW through NE, but not wind damaged in a lot of the area. Snow pack is well consolidated, but we were a little surprised to find how weak it still was mid bowl on rocky breakover, tail punchy and felt much weaker that more exposed terrain. It is right side up, but in these sheltered areas and near large rockbands was noticeably weaker. No slab present and we were comfortable center punching the bowl and hoping our laps will add some strength through skier compaction.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Entire pack is healing but not as quickly mid bowl, and likely descriptive of high sheltered NW through NE facing areas. In Killywatt Bowl, you are nearly halfway down and much more exposed where the snow was the weakest, just a mental note for similar terrain in region. In steeper terrain, surface snow sluffs were common.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Cornice activity along Wedding Ring Ridge, Big Drift, and elsewhere evidence of significant wind loading on high exposed E facing ridgelines, per forecast. Large chunks of cornices had fallen off, triggering some small wind pockets on leeward side of E facing ridges. No other activity was observed, but evidence of high winds raking fetches to the rocks appears to be widespread.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
upper layer is faceting in cold temps despite sunnier weather, surface hoar and near surface faceting warrant checking after Wed/Thurs storm.
Snow Profile
Aspect
East
Elevation
9,500'
Slope Angle
32°
Comments
We were down over the first breakover into Bowl, and snowpack was healing well, see comments above about mid slope
Video
Video
All in all, very happy with snowpack, coverage for Early January, and with more storms lining up, the dragons in the basement will remain there and we will be dealing with new snow and wind, much easier to predict and avoid, patience, patience, patience
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates
