Quick report
Travels north from the Trial Lake area are best attempted on foot at this point. Open lakes, creeks, puddles, logs, and rocks make snowmobile travel off road in this area difficult. After a relatively clear morning, skies became cloudy around 0830, and the strongest pulse of spring squall came through around 1130, quickly delivering an additional 1” of snow. Despite it being a cloudy day overall, the strong spring sun was able to turn the light density surface snow damp right around 1300. After this point, surfaces anywhere exposed to sunlight were entraining snow, featured rollerballs, etc. Attached are photos of the surrounding area: Notch/Bald, Anchor, and Weber Cyn.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Mid-storm activity was visible on E facing Watson (attached), and cornice stomping pulled out a sensitive pocket on the same aspect (photo attached). This was about 8” deep and failed within the recent storm snow. Out of the wind, even in steep terrain, the right side up storm snow was not reactive in hand pits, or to ski turns. </p>
12-16” of right side up storm snow was present up high where not wind affected. This light density snow did take on heat around 1300 hour in any areas exposed to sun (even things like low angle north).