Variable Conditions on Relay Peak

Our trip into Relay Peak started with about 3/4 of a mile of walking on a mostly dirt trail on sunny slopes. We put on our skis once we made it to more shaded northerly aspects around 9000 ft. From there snow coverage improved. The N-NE-E aspects had more continuous snow coverage. Southerly aspects were mostly dirt. Snow surface conditions varied from firm crusts on the shaded E aspects to breakable crusts above weak sugary snow (facets) on northerly aspects. There was a short period of time between 11am and 12pm that the snow surface softened on the sunny east aspects, but these surfaces refroze as soon as they stopped receiving direct sunshine. 

We targeted the N-facing slopes to monitor how the weaknesses in the snowpack are developing. On these aspects, we would break through the surface crusts as we skied. Below the surface, a mix of eroding rain crusts and facets exists (see the attached snowpit for details). This weak layer could become problematic if it gets loaded with new snow or rain in the future. Our observations and snowpit data today on Relay Peak show that the snowpack keeps getting weaker due to the long dark December nights and low sun angles during the day.