June BC

ATL terrain in the June BC was heavily wind affected, as expected. Slopes range from scoured to bulletproof windboard with small amounts of blown snow on top to bullet proof windboard to thin windboard atop near surface facets to breakable crust to small oases of soft snow.  Travel was exceptionally difficult and exhausting today. 

Some large crowns were observed in the area, but have filled in. The light was flat which made it hard to see texture until up close. 

I found sastrugi up to 3 ft high, and graupel was starting to pool upon my exit around 4 pm. Some softer slabs are beginning to facet. Of note, cornices and creep cracks were observed. However, cornices were smaller than expected. 

Snow below 8/8500' got warm and then crusted over as it began to refreeze as day went on. 

Isolated cracking underfoot in soft and hard slab type surfaces up to 4 in thick. Wind affected. NSF found under some of the thin hard slab surfaces. Creep cracks and cornices were of note.