Mt Shasta Avalanche Center - Shasta/Trinity Nat'l Forest

Feb 8 PWL - no recent avalanches failing on this layer in the terrain observed. Targeted this layer in snowpack tests in two other nearby locations as well (NE 5900ft and S 5400ft) and could not get it to propagate a fracture.

Very windy. Widespread temperature crust on almost all aspects, variable thickness, skiable zipper curst. Dissipated at higher elevations. Hard, thick and unreactive wind slabs along ridge lines and mid-slope loading zones. Observed minor cracking along north ridge. Old avalanche debris visible in main east bowl avy path. A cold day. A lot of blowing snow. East bowl total and Avg HS:170 cm / 12.13 ice layer @ 70cm from surface.

TOTAL HS: 192 cm / 75 in. A lot of snow moving around, giant plumes of spindrift off ridge lines, most sublimating to the east. Ridgelines scoured and plastered in bullet proof ice and rime. New snow: 2 inches BTL / 3 inches NTL / 4 inches ATL . Variable conditions, sastrugi features, packed powder, powder on top of a formerly breakable crust, icy surfaces...it's all out there. Snow surfaces generally smooth. Despite a lot of blowing snow, no avalanches were observed. High winds blew most snow off mountain while some collected in gullies and low angle terrain.

12/9 layer was unreactive in this location

Wind event 12/11 to 12/12, approx 17 hours overnight and morning of sustained 20-30 mph northwest winds with gusts to 80 mph, near and above treeline. Heavy wind effect and texturing in exposed areas as well as hard wind slabs in lower angle moraine concavities. Very easy (upon isolating) to trigger and propagate wind slabs in column tests but could not find any slabs on slopes steeper than about 25 degrees. Most loose snow sublimated off mountain, a bit collected in morainal depressions. Many exposed areas and classic avalanche starting zones are scoured to rock.

Pit dug the just hours before 11/26-28 rain event began

Widespread SH formation on W-N-E aspects between 4500-6000ft

Very calm day, max temp in sun near 32 degrees. Some dripping from trees and minor roller ball action on southerly slopes, however low sun angle and short days really limiting snowmelt. Dry, cold, low density snow widespread.