High Winds and Blowing Snow on Mt. Judah

Strong to gale force winds were transporting snow in exposed areas on Donner Summit.  Along the Mt. Judah ridgeline, blowing snow was consistent with new cornice formation and wind slab development.  A small natural wind slab avalanche (D1, R1) was noted in the main east bowl that ran about 1/2 the path and was 30' wide.  On small test slopes, newly formed wind slabs up to 12'' deep were dense (1F-P hardness) and reactive to a ski kick.   Snow available for transport is decreasing in some of this terrain as some windward areas are scoured down to old rain crusts or firmer snow surfaces.  Between the previous NE winds and the current SW winds, finding consistent soft snow was limited to more protected below treeline terrain.