Quick report
Pea Gravel Ridge was rainshadowed from the bulk of the recent precipitation. Above 5800 ft I observed about 2 inches of new snow over a mostly supportable crust. Below this elevation, the snowpack remains wet, mushy, and rough in the trees.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 30
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- light
- Rain Elevation
- 3500
- Recent Snowfall
- 5 cm
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
The rainshadow provided a pleasant day along Pea Gravel. The clouds stalled just west of the Meadows Ski Area. Winds were easterly and light during the morning, but increased and changed more westerly by the afternoon.
Snowpack
Elevations below 5800 ft remain punchy and wet. By 1 PM I was sinking up to my knee in wet snow at these lower elevations. Above this, a more supportable crust exists. North through east aspects are holding onto the 2 inches of new snow and actually rode fairly well. The new snow was melted down on solars by lunchtime.
By noon I was able to initiate some rollerballs entraining the top 2 in of new snow along the sunny east aspects of Pea Gravel. However, this was all I was able to trigger. Ski cuts did't produce much more along east aspects between 5500-6000 ft.
In the areas I traveled ( primarily below 6500 ft), I observed small amounts of snow available for transport and very isolated pockets of wind drifted snow. These small slabs didn't pose much of a hazard below this elevation. I'd susect these would be thicker and more prominent above 7000 ft or areas further west that received more recent snow.
A profile on a NE Aspect @ 6000' revealed a wet upper 60 cm ( 2 ft). Beanth this the snowpack remains dry and strong.