Surprisingly few obvious signs of instability besides significant loading.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Tincan Common Uptrack
AAS Pro 1 course snowpack observations tour up to 2000′ on the Tincan uptrack on a classic Turnagain storm day.
Observer Comments
Weather
Obscure skies and limited visibility with snow fall all day long. Snow rates S-1 to S2.
New snow accumulation measured at AAS intermittent snow board at Tincan meadows: HIT(4 days Sun 1500 -Fri 1600) 54 cm snow/ 59 mm H20
Temperatures hovering on both sides of freezing depending on elevation.
Snow surface
New snow all the way up, boot penetration 79cm at 2000'. No observed wind effects/loading at these lower elevations.
Some rimed forms within stellars deposited in the afternoon.
Snowpack
Spent time doing snowpack observations at 2000' next to uptrack on NW aspect.
HS 185cm.
Storm slab ~50cm with top 15cm more cohesive than the rest of the storm layer.
Layer of concern: New Year's buried surface hoar (4-6mm in size!) @ 95cm below surface, ECTP14; PST70/100 End BSH20171230.
Details in the attached Snowpilot profile.
Snowprofile from Tincan uptrack 2000'.
It was a stormy day at the pass with 54 cm storm total at Tincan base meadows. Thanks for the folks who broke in the skin trail.