January 13
Mueller park, Kern river pipeline, peak 9100
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
5200-9100', angles over 35°, all aspects except north facing
Snow conditions
12-16" total snow at lower elevations.An inch or two capped a variable crust with faceted below. Unsupportable in shady areas.
Up higher, support was good to the ridges. The majority of travel was on sun exposed so, recrstallized was limited to surface layering only. A patch or two of surface hoar in upper elevation shaded locations.
Mild temperatures and sun were warming the snow with, small rollers the result, early in the day.
Weather
Partly cloudy in the morning. Increasing clouds and gusty southwest winds by afternoon. Moderate to mild temperatures.
Avalanche activity
A few wet point releases were observed on sun exposed aspects.
They were a day or two old.
I noticed a slide across the canyon(Sessions Millcreek). Shallow new snow only, appeared to be from the last storm. Of interest, it was near the bottom of the drainage, elevation 8k or lower.
There were a couple of cornice falls at the ridge with at least one initiating a shallow slide. Also older activity.
Evaluation
Mostly stable snow.
Would expect wind and weather guessed new snow to produce drifting on lee aspects.
Bonding of old to new may be questionable, with sluffing and shallow slabs the result.
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