Observation: Southwest

Early season conditions abound. Riding conditions were generally bad but some smooth wind hammered areas where you didn't break through the crust were kind of fun. See video for conditions below tree line. As for conditions above treeline: Northern aspects are almost totally scoured to the ground. Western and southern aspects above tree line are wind loaded and sun baked into a teeth chattering/knee destroying hard pan that your skis sometimes punch through. And it doesn't look like things will be getting any better in the next couple weeks.

I didn't observe any red flags with the exception of wind loading. But with so little snow available for transport it was a non-issue. There *might* be an isolated pocket on leeward slopes to watch out for. The bigger risk is falling on the hard pack in exposed terrain. Ski crampons are a good idea in spots.

If you zoom into this photo of snow on a sheltered northeast facing aspect below treeline you can see the sugary faceting snow.

This photo shows the wind hammered snow on sheltered slopes above treeline (which are located on aspects of the compass from west to south to east).

Heinous. This photo is a good example of what conditions look like on the Windward slopes above treeline (which are located on aspects of the compass from west to north to east).

Snow was wind-hammered in most places. Some sheltered spots with some sugary faceting surface snow. Solar aspects had a breakable crust/sastrugi combo, northern aspects sastrugi for days.