Quick report
Snow coverage seems better in the Castle Peak / Donner Summit area than in the rest of the forecast area. Two to more than three feet of supportable snow exists on most slopes above 7200 feet. Plenty of lumps and bumps remain, and bushes, rocks, and other things still poke through the snow surface.
While coverage is consistent, the snow surface varies greatly by aspect. Shady areas still hold soft, cold snow on the surface, especially on the N-facing slopes. Sunny slopes held frozen crusts in the morning and wet surface snow in the afternoon.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 42 ° F
- Cloud Cover
- scattered
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
The weather remained warm today, but some cloud cover and light winds made it feel cooler than the air temperature would suggest.
Snowpack
The snowpack in this area has gained significant strength. Sometimes, probing through the crusts and dense snow in the upper 2/3rds of the snowpack proved challenging. I even used my saw to cut through those layers while digging a snowpit. Softer, weaker snow still exists at the bottom of the snowpack, but it is moist and gaining strength. Tests also indicated that it would be difficult to get enough force through the strong snow above this layer to break it.