Warm temps, dense snow at Meiss

Top several centimeters of snowpack was water saturated consistently from the Meiss trailhead to my highpoint just above 9,000ft. Lack of snow on trees near summit of Red Lake Peak indicated rain likely to at least 9,800ft. Snow below first several centimeters was Moist to Dry. Roller balls easy to initiate by my departure at noon. Rain layer was preventing any wind transport.

Pic 1: A natural avalanche on surprisingly low angled terrain - off the ridge to Little Round Top, NW of pin drop. I think it may have occured during the initial rain on snow - debris was just rounded enough to have been rained on, but not to have had wind deposited snow prior to the rain. 

Pic 2: Fairly dense snowpack might resist faceting near the ground and mid-pack. The Fist hard snow right under the saturated surface snow will be worth monitoring.

Pic 3: I wasn't probing a gopher hole, I promise. Consistently deep snow just leeward of ridgetop, quickly gave way to 60cm average as I moved downslope.

Pic 4: From just above the cornice, looking down into the first big avalanche path encountered in Meiss (pin drop). Not much snow, but it's become supportive and skiable in wind deposited areas. Ski pen was a bit like spring conditions, but lack of a surface freeze below 8,800ft made the elevation range for decent turns very limited here.