Mammoth Crest

Today I set out to investigate the affect of warming temperatures on the snowpack, particularly slopes that see more direct sun. I was also curious about recently developed wind slabs and how much snow is still available for transport. 

Warming

• The warming has helped to settle the new snow at lower elevations but has not yet affected surface conditions N facing slopes where the snow is still dry and easy to ski.
• North facing slopes at all elevations still had dry surface snow.
• East facing slopes below and near treeline have begun a melt freeze cycle, although dry snow is not far below the surface.
• There were recent tracks in steep E facing terrain below 9000' with steep rock walls to radiate onto the snowpack. It looks as though a skier triggered a small wet loose avalanche out of one of these features, while tracks in neighboring chutes had no more than rollerballs coming off of turns.
• Temperature was 32F at 10500 at 1230. The high clouds and cool breezes seemed to preserve dry snow on solar aspects at this elevation.

Wind

• Recent winds formed small, fresh cornice features which were perched over E and N facing terrain. I stomped on some of these lips above a benign slope and they were difficult to break. The slope below had been pressed by the wind into a firm windboard surface.
• There were many previous and recent tracks on the most wind loaded portion of a north facing alpine bowl feature. They produced no avalanches. Some of the tracks had been lightly filled back in by recent winds.
• Wind rolls and small test slopes showed no signs of instability as I stomped on as many as possible both near and above treeline.
• I observed no blowing snow today in my travels.
• There are small amounts of snow available for transport above treeline still but I don't expect that to last long with the warming temperatures and a settling snowpack.

East aspects with direct sun exposure below and near treeline have begun a  freeze cycle. As you gain elevation the crust/moist or wet snow decreases in thickness. North aspects were holding dry surface snow at all elevations. The most recent storm snow continues to settle.