Keokee Lake

Mixed bag conditions throughout the mountains. Be ready for an abrupt change in surface quality, even on the same aspects and at similar elevations. Extensive faceting in the top foot of the snowpack seemed reluctant to sluff downhill with ski pressure, but did make for a few challenging moments of uphill travel on steeper slopes.

Inconsistent snow conditions on the same slopes was the name of the game today. Soft riding was abruptly interrupted by a firm wind-skin or crusted surface depending on which direction the slope faces. In general, east to south through southwest-facing slopes harbor a 1 cm melt-freeze crust with a thin layer of snow/ facets combo above. This crust is breakable and easily fails when isolated in a column test with one or two taps. Below the fragile crust is very weak sugary snow (F to 4F hardness). On west to north through northeast-facing slopes the surface is either very weak sugary snow (F to 4F-) or a thin wind-skin. Depth of faceted grains on more shady slopes ranges 20 to 30 cm deep, their very angular, and appear to be growing larger in size. Facets across all aspects sit above a rain/ rime crust around 30 to 45 cm deep - depending on aspect. While the layer of snow directly above the crust is still 1F-, it is also faceting but at a slightly slower rate for now (grains are smaller and less angular). We found very little facet sluffing hazard on steeper slopes but something to keep in your back pocket as the current cold, dry weather conditions linger.