Quick report
The north half of the compass remains generally weak and faceted. Facets may have formed on some upper elevation slopes facing the southern side of the compass today, increasing the distribution of weak layers that the incoming storm may bury.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- none
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Mostly clear skies with thin, high clouds limiting solar radiation. Light to moderate southwest wind.
Snowpack
Traveled through east and northeast aspects to 12,500 feet with some alpine southeast terrain. The north half of the compass remains soft and weak at lower elevations with an increase in wind stiffening the higher you climb. Near the treeline, the snow surface is softer than stiff, and alpine terrain is more commonly stiff than soft. We crossed several stiff slabs near and above treeline on isolated features without any signs of instability. These older slabs were easy to ID tucked in gullies, behind abrupt changes in terrain shape, and surface smoothness.
Of note, an alpine slope facing southeast formed facets above the surface crust (radiation recrystallization). I did not encounter this on Friday on Mount Baldy. Conditions felt cooler today with just enough solar radiation to form this thin, weak layer above the surface crust.