Quick report
Happy surprise with more storm snow than expected yielding no travel hazard on New Year’s rain crust (metal tools stayed in packs). Tree bombs in valley were a real hazard with helmets appreciated.
Weather
Obscured sky most of the day with some broken moments early afternoon. Precip S2 when entered field late morning tapering off in afternoon. No winds at the low elevations we travelled.
Snowpack
Good news out there today with 10cm Hst over New Year’s rain crust adjacent to upper Alpental parking lot (at 10:30am) increasing to 25cm at Source Lake. Dug near Source Lake, 3780’ NE, Hs 125cm: CTM⬇️27PC CTH⬇️35BRK CTN The PC (Progressive Compression) fracture character was just below New Year’s rain crust where hardness went from 4F 25-30 cm down then 1F down to 45cm down (Dec 24 crust). Did not repeat this result and unlikely to be an issue with robust crust protecting it. Bond good above New Year’s rain crust with no results on any column tests or shovel tilt test.