Relay Peak

It was a nice day to get out in the Relay area looking for corn snow.  Temps were slightly above freezing when we started at 8am, however the upper snowpack had undergone a solid refreeze overnight.  Surfaces were firm even in treed areas as we travelled uphill.   The temperature quickly warmed during the morning and solar aspects had developed 1-2" of melted surface snow by 10am.   This made for pleasant corn skiing on E, SE, and S aspects.  Northerly aspects remained firm and a moderate NW wind on the Relay ridgetop was keeping things cool.   Variable frozen surfaces and remnants of rain runnels made travel on N aspects slightly challenging.  Consider having ski crampons if travelling through any consequential terrain.   By 11am, steep E aspects had developed 3-4" of wet snow at the surface, and we decided to return to the car.   Forested areas had developed wet and grabby snow surfaces on our ski out.   Overall, snow cover is still quite good in this area.   Deep creek holes are a hazard in a few places, and snow cover is decreasing on S and SW aspects below 9,000'.    Access from the meadow still has coverage for snowmobiles to reach the road, although a few holes have opened up in the meadow area.