Weather
Overcast with spots of blue ski. Snow accumulation from Sunday measured 5.5 inches and Red Mountain Pass. Higher totals are probable at higher elevations. Average winds during the storm measured at 19 mph gusting to 52 mph. Cold nights and sunny days followed the storm.
Snowpack
New snow is a welcome site, but our snowpack has some building to do. Northeast slopes where I travelled average around 6-7 inches. The deepest snow drift I could find was about 2 feet in depth. I observed minor instability at a density change in the drifted snow, but the overlying slab was too weak for observable cracking. I failed to find lingering faceted old snow at 12500 feet. Instead, the basal layer is made of a firm ice crust, inducing a slippery boot ascent. Around 2 inches of settlement was recorded at nearby weather stations and snow surfaces remain cold and generally crust-free at these upper elevations.