Variable Conditions in Johnson Canyon

I found a wide variety of surface conditions in Johnson Canyon today. On the northerly aspects, the rain crust remained frozen and would sometimes support the weight of a skier and sometimes would not. Some surface hoar had also formed on top of the rain crust on these shady cool aspects. The snow under the rain crust was still cold.

On the more sun-exposed southerly aspects, the rain crust and any surface hoar that may have existed on top of it had melted away by the afternoon. What remained was a layer of punchy, wet, sticky snow at lower elevations and slightly less punchy, wet, sticky snow at higher elevations. In areas where wind-scouring had firmed up the snow surface more supportable snow conditions existed. I ski cut several steep test slopes but did see any signs of wet snow instability. 

The E aspects had everything from wet snow in sunny spots to breakable rain crusts in shady spots. 

I also looked at several wind-loaded areas. The cornices above the wind-loaded slopes are large and several of them had collapsed during the last storm/wind event. I stayed far away from the cornice edges on this warm day. I ski cut a few wind-loaded test slopes and did not trigger any signs of wind-slab instability. I also dug a quick pit in a wind-loaded spot. Snowpit tests did not indicate lingering instability in that area.