Developing loose wet instability on solar aspects Incline Peak/Slab Cliffs.

We toured the Incline Lake and Slab Cliffs area today to look for any signs of lingering weakness on N aspects at the recent old/new snow interface and to see wet snow instability on solar aspects. A test pit dug at the noted lat/long (N aspect, 9,610', near treeline) yielded test results of ECTN and PST 35/100 SF down 30 cm (12in) at the old/new interface which was 4F hard slab over F hard facets (moist). We encountered no signs of instability in this northerly aspect, upper elevation near treeline and below treeline terrain.

On solar aspects, the areas in direct sun held about 2 inches of wet snow at midday. In the more NE wind protected areas, this was unconsolidated wet recent storm snow, still transitional towards more established melt freeze. Ski cuts on several test slopes produced signs of developing loose wet instability at the surface.