Quick report
Coverage is thin from 6000’-7000’, especially on solar slopes. Snow depths on leeward slopes at 7,000’ are around 100cm increasing to about 150cm at 8,000’. All aspects have developed surface hoar at the lower elevations, unless it is dirt. Moving up towards mid elevation there is also plenty of surface hoar and a general weakening of the top 20cm of snow. This has made for good riding conditions in areas sheltered from the wind and sun. Firm, unbreakable melt freeze crusts exist on south and west aspects, capped with near surface facets in some locations. Exposed ridge lines around 8,000 feet have seen some degree of wind affect from a multitude of directions, some of which is now being softened by faceting.
The current surfaces will be worth tracking as it will eventually be buried by the next storm, hopefully... forecasts look dry for at least the next week. Time will tell how the next storm buries these weak snow surfaces (windy and wet, or cool and calm).
Weather
- Air Temp
- 9 at the car in the morning
- Cloud Cover
- few
Another beautiful day. Temperatures were cold at the car and in the shade. Winds were calm until reaching the mid elevation band where light winds were blowing from the west.
Snowpack
We dug a put on a NE aspect around 8,000 feet and found the snowpack to be generally right side up. There were no signs of instability, though the faceting of the upper snowpack will be on the radar when we receive snow next.