Quick report
Started at Bunny Flat at 1230pm. Below 7500' the upper snowpack consisted of several inches of dense wet snow sitting on top of a crust/density change that was ski supportable but could be broken though with a solid stomp. Ski penetration was ~1" in the upper layer of snow. Below the crust the snow density was lower, but still felt pretty wet. Above 7500' the crust became more ski supportable, and the snow on top was slightly lighter, drier, and deeper (perhaps ~12" depending on aspect), though ski penetration was still just an inch or two. Winds were generally out of the southeast, light to moderate below treeline, and moderate near treeline. Minor/moderate wind transport below treeline, but substantial wind transport near treeline with some scouring down to the ice crust on windward aspects. South/SSW aspects of Green Butte Ridge below treeline had slightly deeper and less wind affected snow than the SE aspects. Returned to Bunny Flat at 3pm. Snow with occasional graupel fell at an average rate of about ~1"/hr (had 2-3" of snow on the car when I returned to Bunny Flat). This new snow was noticeably lighter and drier than the previously fallen snow. Temperature ranged from 30F at Bunny Flat to 28F at 8200'. Ski quality below treeline was surprisingly good, though the snow was so supportable I wouldn't call it "powder".
Weather
- Air Temp
- 30
- Cloud Cover
- obscured
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Rain Elevation
- 5500
- Recent Snowfall
- 5
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts