Weak upper snowpack and potential for hazardous tree wells on Lincoln Ridge.

Touring around the Lincoln Ridge area today we encountered the expected mix of variable snow surface conditions. Exposed rain crust above treeline, wind affected surface near treeline, and settled but still unconsolidated snow below treeline. Snowpit test targeting the thin rain crusts and facets in the upper snowpack matched well with other recent Sierra Crest observations.  Test results indicated questionable ability for these upper snowpack crust/facet weak layers to handle significant new snow loading.

Tree wells have formed in this area and could become hazardous once buried in 1-2+ feet of new snow.