Observations from Mt. Judah

Variable snow surface conditions existed on all aspects traveled in this area between 7,000' and 8,200'. Isolated areas of cold unconsolidated surface snow 10 to 15 cm deep lingered on wind protected northerly aspects. Solar aspects were experiencing snow surface melt. Traveling SE aspects below the summit of Mt. Judah around 11 am revealed 5 to 10 cm of transitional surface wet snow on top of colder, less consolidated snow in most areas. This snowpack structure was marginally skier supportable. Ski cutting small test slopes indicated that this wet over colder less consolidated snow pack structure was prone to loose wet instability (photo). True corn conditions existed only in tiny pockets where the Jan 29 rain crust was exposed at the snow surface from previous wind scouring. On solar aspects, this exposed rain crust (ice layer) had 1 cm of corn snow on the surface at 11 am.