Deep Creek Observations

We went to Deep Creek to look for soft snow in wind protected below treeline terrain that has survived the recent strong NE winds that have scoured exposed terrain back down to firm crusts.  Deep Creek had 4 to 6'' of recent storm snow on top of a firm and supportable crust.  On steeper and shaded northerly aspects, more soft snow existed below the recent storm snow with less feeling of the crust.  We found small reactive wind slabs along the upper ridge that were released from cornice kicks on a N aspect with the slope having some NE wind protection from dense trees.  Light NE wind scouring was also noted along the ridge, but not enough in most of this terrain to deposit sizable amounts of snow on to the SE-S-SW aspects of the ridge.  The NE winds and cold temperatures were keeping wet snow to a minimum above 8000' on southerly aspects, with some wet snow seen at lower elevations.