Lonely Gulch (near Rubicon Pk)

We toured the upper portions of Lonely Gulch today, covering N-NE-E-SE aspect terrain between 7,000' and 8,600'. We encountered the expected mix of crust, wet surface snow, and near surface facets.

On northerly aspects, there was a thin crust over near surface facets up to 7,700' to 7,800'. Above that the crust was absent. Overcast skies were allowing the snow surface on northerly aspects to wet just enough to create significant skin glopping, despite multiple applications of skin wax. We encountered this subtle wetting of the snow surface from about 7,700' up to our highpoint at 8,600'.

E and SE aspects were in melt phase and allowed for glop free skinning. E aspects remained transitional with a bit of wet surface snow on top of recent storm snow. SE aspects held more established, supportable melt-freeze in open areas with lots of sun exposure. The loss of snowpack depth on solar aspects in this area was notable with large rocks and logs having melted out of old tracks.