Powderhouse

Powderhouse no longer has any powder, but it does have corn. I began my ascent mid-morning, and the surface crusts were supportable all the way up. Near the trailhead, there was a very shallow surface crust. As I ascended, the crust became thicker and consisted of larger melt-freeze granules. By 8800 ft at around noon, I noticed there was corn on all slopes that were getting sun. Near the Peak on the sun exposed plateau at 8300 ft, ski pen was 2 cm with a boot pen of 4 cm. I began my descent at 12:55 pm and went from one sun exposed region to another. There was corn and high quality skiing on all such sun exposed regions down to about 8500 ft. Then the snow began to get slower. I switched to the shaded sections, and the snow was softening with the high temperatures but not so much that the snow was slow. It was high quality and enjoyable skiing all the way down to the meadows near the trailhead. 

Once there at about 1:15 pm, I noticed what I experienced the day before at 5 pm: wet whumpfing. The snowpack would collapse as I went over it with my skis. Near obstacles like logs, boulders, or trees, the collapse would sink my skis as much as a foot. 

I saw mosquitos and yellow jackets throughout my tour.

On exit around 1:15 pm, in the meadows near the trailhead, I experienced wet shallow whumpfing. Near obstacles, my skis collapsed the snow up to a foot in depth.

Superficial refreeze in the area with surface crusts of various thicknesses. Near the trailhead, the crust was 5 mm in depth and supported the skis mid-morning. By early afternoon, this crust broke down and caused the wet whumpfing. As I ascended, the crust increased in thickness. Highly variable snow surfaces with hard rain cups, debris, and obstacles. However, no runnels.

8000 ft, North aspect, shaded, 90-95 cm, 1F

8500 ft, North aspect, shaded, 100 cm, F

9000 ft, NW aspect, dappled sun, 85-90 cm, 1F

9100 ft, North aspect, shaded, 165 cm, 1F