Excelsior

Snow at all elevations started firm in the morning. Softening happened quickly as the sun hit slopes. Boot penetration was around a foot deep once surfaces were soft. 

We mainly stuck to north aspects, but even those were wet on the surface by midday. We dug a pit on a north facing aspect at 5400'. Beneath about 5cm of wet snow, the April  8/9 storm layer was right side up and heavy, but only just barely moist, surprisingly. The early April Crust was about 50cm deep.