Quick report
Snowpack depths ranged from 3-5" at 4000', 12-18" around 5500'. Above 6000', depths were variable but generally about 2' or more unless the location was scoured. The east ridge of Snowshoe was sometimes scoured down to a supportable ice crust or wind board, and made for excellent cramponing. But at other times, it was loaded with old wind slab and made for even more excellent post-holing. The snowpack is generally weak and composed of facet layers with some crusts interspersed between. Snowpack surfaces consist of facets, plenty of surface hoar, and crusts on slopes that receive daytime solar radiation. The weak snow was not much of a concern at the time, but it will be once loaded by an overlying slab. The skiing, where we actually tried it, ranged from poor to downright treacherous due to breakable crust. No recent signs of instability observed. We did see a few, several-days old wet loose debris piles on the face (~6000') above Leigh Lake while climbing to the Bockman/Snowshoe saddle. Noted one older looking crown, D1.5-2 just below the summit of Bockman on the south face (~7800).
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Climbed above the stratus cloud deck at about 5200'. Brilliant sunshine above with calm to light westerly winds up high.