Weather
- Cloud Cover
- obscured
- Wind Loading
- none
- Rain Elevation
- 3000
- Recent Snowfall
- 15
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Obscured skies all day above ~3000ft. Very light snowfall began mid morning and became light at about 1230. Calm. Temps above ~3500ft were below freezing.
Snowpack
Consistent snow cover began about 3500ft, and at about 4000ft 2" of new dry snow was present in open areas above an old crust. In all areas I traveled, the crust was supportable where new snow hadn't accumulated on top. When there was more than 2" of new snow over the crust (insulating it), the crust generally wasn't supportable on feet or snowshoes and I punched 6-12" deep into moist old snow. Beneath the relatively thin crust (about 2" thick) was predominantly large moist old melt forms that were very soft.
Above 4500' I found 10-15cm (4-6") of non wind affected light dry snow which was well bonded to the crust. All the new snow was dry, right-side-up and non wind affected and only tiny dry rollerballs were produced when I traveled near steep slopes.
Many signs of spring melting was visible, with huge melt rings around trees and old slumps of snow were visible on steep slopes, likely from the mid-March heat wave.