Virginia Lakes - Lundy Canyon

I traveled up VA Lakes and down to Lundy Canyon to gauge warming on as many aspects/elevations as possible. 

• All slopes up to 12,400' that received direct sunlight held a crust - 1 - 10 cm. This crust thawed during direct sun/warming, even though temperatures remained below freezing above 11,000' and light to moderate southeast winds were present. Surfaces were quick to refreeze later in the day. 
• Slopes above 10,500' held dry snow beneath the crust/thawed crust on all aspects. 
• Southerly slopes with more than 30 cm of snow held moist to wet snow beneath the surface crust below 10,500'. This snow sits on top of a K hard crust ~ 30 cm down (new/old snow interface). 
  • Southerly slopes with only new snow (5 - 30 cm) on top of dirt held well transitioned melt forms from top to bottom. 
• South - East slopes showed moderate wet loose avalanche activity up to 11,000'. Many of the slides were visible in the early morning hours, and so likely slid yesterday, 4/4/25. Slides were up to D1.5. 
• Rollerballs, fanning, and some small wet loose were observed on northerlies up to 10,000'. 

Small amounts of cracking were observed in isolated leeward areas of wind affected snow between 11,500' and 12,400'. This was only in surface snow, up to 5 cm deep. Cracking occured on a layer of cold, dry precipitation particles. // Many small wet loose avalanches were observed on south - east slopes today. Rollerballs and fanning were observed up to 12,400' on east - south aspects.