Public Observation

Observation Details

Observations

Left the trailhead at the car park at 1050, moderate snowfall, the air temp was -2c and there was approximately 5cm of new snow on the ground. Around 1120 the snow had stopped and there were clear views of the summit of Mammoth Mountain. Just below 10,000' I started to feel the wind, strong at times and coming from the S, SE. Near and above treeline blowing snow was visible.

On the exposed ridge that contours the Red Cone Bowl I observed touchy windslabs throughout this feature with strong winds, transporting ample amounts of snow. The slabs ranged from 10- 35 cm deep and were touchy. Stopping my way up the ridge I triggered numerous small pockets, they ran up to 500' at the longest, entraining snow as they slid. Most of these pockets were 5 - 10' wide, the longest however propagated 80 - 100'. After a short ski I returned to the lee facing ridge in the bowl and found my tracks completely filled in and new wind slabs had already formed, approximately 60 minutes had lapsed. Around 1400 the sun came out and the winds began to decrease.

Decent skiing on my exit from the crest, as I approached lake elevation solar warming became apparent in the snowpack with the snow surface becoming wetter the lower in elevation I got. Apart from the low coverage I encountered numerous human sized holes in the snowpack that could pose a danger, these were mostly around ridge tops and were becoming concealed with the new snowfall.

Observed Avalanches

Signs of Unstable Snow