Castle Peak

Castle Peak still has lots of exposed ground showing. In places where snow does exist, it is mostly shallow and weak. Traveling across snow without hitting exposed or barely covered rocks is challenging in this area.  A mix of breakable and supportable rain crusts exist on the surface in most places. Some surface hoar had formed in sheltered areas. See the snowpack section for more details about the snowpack structure. 

Sunny days have melted most snow off the southerly aspects, exposing bare ground in many places. On the northerly aspects where a thin snowpack does exist, cold, clear weather has weakened the rain crust and moist snow below the surface. Now, the snowpack in this area consists of a mix of weak snow and eroding crusts. The surface rain crusts were sometimes breakable and sometimes supportable. This shallow snow will keep losing strength if it stays cold and clear. The snowpack has also become less supportable, making the rocks and other obstacles closer to the surface easier to hit.