Prater Canyon

We toured to Prater Mountain. Of note is a new "no parking" sign near the old parking lot. As more snow stacks up, the only available parking will be further up the FS road, which may limit access for some users. Coverage on the road and summer trail was consistent, with a 30-60cm (1-2 feet) snowpack. Snowpack on southerlies had a 1cm melt-freeze crust capping faceting snow, with an older, decomposing melt-freeze crust near the ground. Northerly aspects held largely unconsolidated, faceted snow and surface hoar, meaning anything that feels or skis like fresh, dry snow is faceted and weak. Anything with a slight solar tilt (for example, WNW aspects) held a supportable melt-freeze crust in the middle of the snowpack.   There were no notable signs of instability; however, with the snowpack remaining dry for the foreseeable future, this snowpack will continue to weaken and will not handle any new loading event well.