Rime on Castle Peak

Westerly winds greeted me at the Castle Peak Trailhead. They carried some blowing snow in the open areas near the trailhead, but once I turned the corner into more tree-covered terrain, I could not feel the wind anymore. The snow remained soft and unconsolidated in sheltered and shaded areas. I did notice a thin crust about 1ft (30cm) below the surface and another thin "zipper" crust on the surface on open slopes. Snowpit tests targeting the lower crust did not produce any signs of instability. 

I continued up the ridge towards Castle Peak, and the clouds enveloped me. The mist and fog cut visibility down to less than 50 ft at times. Rime ice coated everything: rocks, trees, and even a rime crust on the snow surface. The west winds returned, and rime also started building on my backpack and ski poles. Along the ridge, I found some wind-loaded N-NE-E test slopes. Snowpit tests, ski cuts, and small cornice pieces dropped on the slopes did not cause any cracking or wind slab failures. Wind-affected surfaces and drifts existed well into the NW trees on Castle Peak. 

On my way back, I went back over Andesite Peak and did not see any signs of lingering wind-slab instability. I did see some light blowing snow, and there was still plenty of snow available for transport on the windward side of the ridge. I also noticed that some cornices had failed and left deep cracks behind the fallen cornices. The rime crust that was widespread above 8000 ft. disappeared on the lower elevation areas, and the thin zipper crust returned but only in open areas.