Quick report
We toured up the N/NW ridge, west of the main more traveled route up to Waterhouse. I toured up the same route two days ago and wanted to compare observations. It had clearly rained up to at least 8100 feet; the tree branches had rime-like ice chunks on them, and a 2 cm breakable crust existed where there had been heavy powder snow two days prior. Grass Lake was bullet-proof with parts better for ice skates. Above 8100 feet, we noticed greater amounts of new snow which varied from 8 cm at 8550 feet, 12 cm at 8650, 8750, and 8900 feet to 14 cm at 9400 feet, just below the summit. Above 8700 feet, there was evidence of strong winds with a consistent light wind crust above 8900 feet. Downhill skiing, the snow was slightly grabby at the top because of the light wind crust. There was good moderately heavy powder skiing in the middle down to 8100 feet; it was very enjoyable. Then there was breakable crust and survival skiing down to Grass Lake. We were able to skate fairly easily over Grass Lake back to the car.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 36
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Rain Elevation
- 8100
- Recent Snowfall
- 8-14
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Colder than expected day due to winds. Clouds and blue skies alternated throughout the day.
Snowpack
The powder snow of two days ago was strongly affected by last night's storm. It rained at the bottom elevations and snowed from mid-mountain to the top, but the snow was affected by strong winds.