Shovelnose Snowpack

Snowpack

Depth

300

Obs Type

summary

Site Aspect

NW

Test Fracture

sudden

Site Elevation

1840

Ski Penetration

37

Test Initiation

hard

Test Failure Depth

56

Site Elevation Band

alp

Surface Conditions

newSnow

Test Failure Layer Crystal Types

stormSnow

Drove to 800m with chains and high clearance. Snow starts around 400m, chains on at 550m. Trail breaking with a ski pen of 37cm above 1600m, visibility variable and moderate southwest winds above treeline. ECT Results 12:44pm 1830m Northwest aspect 38 degrees ECTP22 down 56cm Sudden Planar No evidence of facets or surface hoar at ECT location. Rain crust from November 03/04 130cm down. No activity on the buried rain crust. Suspect the new soft slab storm snow and wind deposit over the weekend just isn’t yet well bonded to the high density layer below 56cm. 8cm wind slab topping did not propagate.