Basin Peak - Blowing snow on the ridgetops and large surface hoar below 8,000'.

Ridgetop winds out of the SW began transporting old snow on the ground just before noon. Winds continued to increase as the afternoon progressed, causing increasing amounts of drifting snow. Thin new cornices were noted along NE aspect above treeline ridgetops at 2pm. Sufficient old snow on the ground is available for drifting to lee areas and the formation of shallow new wind slabs.

New surface hoar ranging from 5 to 20mm was observed on the surface along the Castle Rd up to the base of Castle Pass and in Round Valley in wind protected open areas below about 8,000'. No surface hoar was seen on the snow surface higher up in any of the near treeline to above treeline terrain on either side of the Castle/Basin Ridge. Our lowpoint of travel on the N side of the Castle Basin Ridge was about 8,300'. It is possible that SH exists in the steeper terrain in this N side area below our low point of travel today. SH observed today may persist to burial tonight.