Generous window for corn snow at Carson Pass

Snow remained surprisingly supportable into the early afternoon at Round Top today. I used a lower approach to Winnemucca Lake than usual, to stay in the shade of denser tree cover. Even in the trees, the snow surface was firm and supportable. I couldn't drive my pole grip through the surface, and had to be forceful with my shovel. I found a 10" thick knife hard crust on a flat aspect at about 8600ft. Nearby, on an E aspect getting full sun, I was able to get my pole grip through the crust, but it took effort. I found the same 10" thick crust, but it was pencil hard instead of knife. Both of these observations were late morning. All surfaces traveled, including the warmest slope I observed today (a low angle SE aspect at 9000ft), remained supportable and did not indicate wet instabilities. There were several people carrying snowshoes strapped to their backpacks, and traveling on foot instead. They did not appear to struggle with postholing. Many surfaces were sun cupped and runneled, but they were just soft enough to not negatively impact quality. I did not remain in the field after 1pm, and I did not observe steep S aspects.

Pic 1: Still great coverage above Winnemucca Lake.

Pic 2: Also good coverage on the N side of Round Top. This pic was taken about 1 hour before solar noon.

Pic 3: Not such good coverage on the Gasex gullies on Red Lake Peak, though the leeward sides of the gullies are mostly out of view from this angle.