Echo Lake Observation

I found anywhere from a trace of new snow to about 6" of new snow in wind drifted areas around Echo Lake this afternoon. This new snow sat on a very strong crust of refrozen snow. Digging down I was able to find snow that was still moist about 2 feet below the surface. Even after digging my quick pit, my 340 cm probe wasn't able to hit the ground from the bottom of my roughly 100 cm deep pit. Hwy 50 was clear and dry driving up from Meyers but there was snow across the road leading to the SnoPark. While there were a few areas where I could see wind creating wind slab and moving snow these were very small in this area. 

Photo 1: Snow depth was highly variably but ranged from 2-6" with areas with zero accumulation

Photo 2: Snow accumulation had mostly ended by the time of my midday tour and brief breaks of blue sky were present

Photo 3: There was active blowing snow over this small wind feature

Photo 4: Examining the snow on a north facing slope in a clearing above Echo Lake

Photo 5: The still present old crusty skin track with fresh snow on either side captures the variability I found.

Photo 6: A small slab directly below my ski on a short steep test slope that had been undercut.

Photo 7: Echo Lake