Mt. Judah

We went to Mt. Judah for observations today.  At the trailhead and on the approach on west aspects, a good snow surface refreeze was present with 4'' of firm P hard snow.  The firm snow continued on shaded aspects up towards Mt. Judah.  Sun exposed slopes warmed quickly with a short window for good supportable corn snow in the morning hours.  We descended an east and then a south aspect in the mid to late morning hours.  The top portions above 7500' provided good supportable spring snow, with the bottom portions more punchy and less supportable.  North and west aspects were soft on our way back just after 11am.  Travel on these slopes were mostly good with soft and sticky snow developing at lower elevations.  We observed many previous wet loose avalanches, cornice collapses, and large deep cracks developing behind these cornices.  Many of the large cornices that have been built out from our big spring storms have collapsed, but some are still present.