Variable conditions surrounding Elephants Back.

We went out to Elephants Back to see the extent of the recent wind and snow events. On the drive up there was a noticeable inversion layer in Hope Valley. The truck was indicating the temperature was -16F on the valley floor and 12F at the top of Carson Pass. The tour consisted of variable conditons anywhere from low density powder in the trees, to breakable/supportable wind board, and large sustrugi near the ridglines. Areas protected from wind and in the trees had preserved plates and small surface hoar starting to develop and grow, at times it was widespread in the landscape. We came across several old natural avalanches, one above winnemucca lake, Cornice fall off of E facing slope of Elephant's back proper, and the cornice on the E side of Frog Lake, all had been lightly snowed over the debris piles. Riding conditons were extremely variable with pockets of wind blown powder, breakable crusts, and deep powder. However, in some areas like Elephants graveyard, there was no snow to speak of, strange considering we just got 200". We also had a small skier cut wind slab at tree line on Elephant's Hump that was stubborn and did not propagate once initiated. The wind event took its toll on the landscape as far as I could see, towards Little Round top, Round top, Polaris Bowl and Ebbetts Pass. But don't let that discourage the New Year as I did see lots of deep powder still out there.