New snow and wind on Carson Pass

New snow! About 22 cms of new snow fell in the Carson Pass area. In protected areas this snow was impressively light and uncohesive. NE winds were increasing during the afternoon and moving the soft snow around even below treeline. Near and above treeline terrain had areas that were being completely scoured as well as areas where snow was being deposited and beaten up into a more cohesive slab. These loading areas produced many shooting cracks as I skinned across them. 

I dug a quick pit in a partially protected below treeline clearing to look at how much new snow fell and also check out the old snow below. In this location the new very soft new snow was not adding a slab or much weight to the old snow below. I got ECTN results in the old weak snow below the decomposing crust. PSTs in the facets below the crust produced either 15/100 END or SF. I artificially added about 10cms of new snow to the slab, waited and got PST 10/100 END in the weak snow just below the crust. 

Photo 1: A ski kick on a steep somewhat wind protected slope created a small loose dry avalanche that ran until the slope angle lessened. 

Photo 2: Measuring new snow in a fairly wind protected area: about 22 cms. In windier areas it was easy to find deeper areas.

Photo 3: Hand hardness in a quick pit. New snow F hard, then a decomposing crust, then more F hard then progressively firmer snow. I was impressed by how weak the snow just below the crust was in this location. 

Photo 4: Using a loaded PST to look at weak snow below crust: PST 10/100 END

Photo 5: Many long shooting cracks in near and above treeline terrain. This one was about 15 feet. In another similar location every step I took produced shooting cracks.