Weak snowpack near Frog Lake Cliffs

We went to the area below Frog Lake Cliffs on Carson Pass today, looking at how the snowpack has continued to weaken and loose strength since our previous visits to this location on Nov 5 and Nov 22. Bottom line the Nov 9 facet layer has continued to facet, the rain crusts within the snowpack have continued to decompose, and boot penetration has gotten deeper as the snowpack has become progressively weaker during the Nov dry spell. The snowpack in this area is in poor condition to handle new snow loading.

As in other locations, this weak snowpack is limited to northerly aspects and other shaded areas, mainly above about 8,400' in this zone. Looking out at the Forestdale Divide area just to the south, avalanche paths there hold continuous snow cover and likely a similar weak snowpack.