Snowpack

Becker Cirque

Brandon SchwartzCentral Sierra Nevada
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Weather

Air Temp
43
Cloud Cover
clear
Wind Loading
none
Snow Avail For Transport
small smounts

Snowpack

The snowpack in this area in limited to northerly aspects, similar to the vast majority of the forecast area. Near 7,800' we observed around 6 inches of snow cover. At 7,800', there was a thin melt-freeze crust on the surface. The rest of the snowpack was composed of loose grained facets. As we ascended to 8,400', the snowpack depth increased to 10 to 12 inches and was also composed almost entirely of loose grained facets. Moisture in the facets was dry to moist. We noted only a minimal amount of ice at the base of the snowpack in the sub 8,500' elevations we traveled today. This matches well with other portions of the forecast area were more significant amounts of ice/rain crust exist at ground level above about 8,400' to 8,500'. Small patches of snow on the ridgetop that were low angle E to SE aspect slopes were wet and 2 to 4 inches deep or less.