Locked up on Carson Pass

No corn harvest today on Carson Pass for me. I tried a south to south west facing slope near Carson Pass hoping for afternoon soft snow...possibly resembling corn. Instead I found heavier cloud cover than expected, colder temperatures, and almost zero softening of the snow. Only the very lowest slopes I travelled on (around 8000 feet, due south and protected from wind by trees) showed any signs of softening due to daytime warming. Everything above about 8500 was rock hard.

While not an avalanche concern these firm slopes were a potential fall hazard. Most of my route was rather low angle and benign, but topping out at the ridge I momentarily wished for ski crampons and when I peaked over to Meiss Meadows the upper steeper north facing slopes were rock hard and I didn't venture far downslope.

Photo 1:Cool Juniper and sorta depressing bare dirt beneath it at about 8400 ft on a south facing slope.

Photo 2: Firm snow surface with a rough surface texture.

Photo 3: A very small north facing slope with a tiny bit of soft snow remaining. 

Photo 4: A few shady SE aspects were very firm and thoughts of slipping might have passed through my mind.

Photo 5: These cracks were about twenty feet back from the edge of cornice

Photo 6: Nearing the summit there was lots of evidence of previous strong winds and previous melt.