Tahoe National Forest Sierra Avalanche Center

Basal facets were impressively weak in this location but between the rocky ground and ice layer just above them, I was unable to drag a saw through the layer to test them using a PST.

I removed snow down to the first rain crust and got an ECTP 27 @ 28cm with only 75cm of snow left above the facets at 28cm.

Snowpit: Not a full pit. I recorded hand hardness for layer id and did stability tests. ECTP 25 @ 155 (the layer below yesterday's rain crust). Modified ECTP 14 @ 62cm - I removed snow from the column until only 1m of snow remained on top of the facet layer at 62 cm. PST 0/165 END @ 62cm - Test failed during isolation.

Uneven rocky ground in our pit location sabotaged our PST attempt. We did a Deep Tap Test and got a DTH (23) at the ground, but again the rough rocky terrain somewhat compromised this result. Basal facets in this location were less weak than recent observations at Elephants Back and Stevens Peak.

Nearest sensors indicating around 3-4'' of rain in this area in the last 24 hours. Rain turned to snow sometime late yesterday/early morning with around 7cm of high density snow on top. Below new surface snow rain crust has not been able to freeze yet and is punchy in most areas.

Ski penetration was 0 cms in pit location. On the ski out, the crust was horrendously breakable. Trees in immediate vicinity held no snow or rime, but several hundred feet above rime or snow was visible on trees and rocks indicating snow line was near the top of Stevens Peak. Test results were not perfectly repeatable on basal weak layer but were generally repeatable.

Pit dug next to snow profile from 12/8. Warm temps with new surface rain crust up to at least 9600'. No blowing snow observed due to rain on snow. Facets were able to be clumped together with hand.