Burnout snowpit

• Toured up adjacent terrain to the avalanche-prone slope referred to as “Burnout.”
• The name Burnout refers to what remains of Snowshed 4C.  4C burned down in 1978 from an equipment-malfunction fire (a spark) on the Railway grade. 
• Surface snow conditions in this terrain feature consisted of ~40” of accumulated snowfall on the January 13th crust/facet interface.

Objectives were to:

• Observe snowpack instability at Burnout SZ elevation.
• Assess snow surface conditions.
• Conduct a snow profile and stability tests in non-avalanche-prone terrain adjacent to the Burnout starting zone with a similar aspect but lower slope angle.

• No recent avalanche activity observed.
• No noticeable cracking of the snowpack surface,
• No audible failures and/or collapses observed.

• Wind transport and loading occurring at all elevations onto easterly and northeasterly aspects.
• Total snow depths around 5000’ elevation averaged 5-6’.
• Snow profile at this location (5150’) revealed a 65-75” deep snowpack. Three (3) main layer interfaces were observed:
  • ~14” from surface- Graupel.  ECTN12, ECTN 15
  • ~24” from surface- Rounding Surface Hoar (no fracture)
  • ~40” from surface- Jan. 13th crust/facet interface. ECTP18, ECTP19.
  • The Jan.13 crust/facet interface is currently our greatest layer of concern.

• Overcast skies with light snowfall the entire field day.
• Snowfall accumulations throughout the day amounted to a trace at best.
• Air temperatures were in the mid-20s (°F) at lower elevations and upper-teens (°F) at upper elevations.