South Surface Hoar

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/03/2019
Name: Will Nunez

Subject: South Surface Hoar
Aspect: South East, South
Elevation: 11,000

Avalanches:

2 small-med loose avalanches in RLB

Weather: Cold in the am, light to mod winds from the N NW, Strong solar gain in the pm. Clear all day.
Snowpack: HS ranged from 80-140Ccm
Surface Hoar is still present on all SES aspect and elevation, with strong solar it could have been melted away forming a sun crust.
Buried surface hoar still exists in the upper layers of the snow pack, reacting and planner to shovel tilt tests. SH 16cm and 30cm down, both reacting and planner. There’s still a PS structure but the basel facets are rounding and non reactive to ECTs and CTs.

Photos: