Quick report
Despite the warm temperatures and relatively superficial refreeze, we observed hard snow surfaces on polar aspects and soft snow on solar aspects. Shaded snow on solar aspects was also hard. The descent on the E/SE aspect of Elephant's Back was almost corn -- slightly too wet to be true corn. But with a ski pen of 3 cm and a boot pen of 5 cm, it was fast, excellent skiing. The best quality snow (softest, without bumps) was on truly SE aspects. The snow was good consistent quality from the top at 9600 ft to our transition point of 8050 ft. Skinning up in the early afternoon, it felt like mid-May rather than mid-March. We were on mostly E and S aspects but noticed that anything in the shade was still firm. Skiing the N and NW aspects of the Hump, we noticed that lower angle N aspects and steep NW aspects had the best skiing; anything where sun had hit the snow. Skinning back to Carson Pass, we noticed that shaded surfaces remained firm.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 50s
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Snow Avail For Transport
- none
Bluebird day with no wind and warm temperatures.
Snowpack
No notable wet loose activity observed. From top to bottom from 12:25 to 1:00 pm, the E/SE face of Elephant's Back had a ski pen of 3 cm and a boot pen of 5 cm.