Observations from Rubicon Peak

Snow coverage on NW-N-NE aspects in this area is decent to good above 8,000', but quickly becomes poor to unskiable below 7,800'. Recent storm snow in shaded areas on northerly aspects remains cold, unconsolidated, and has yet to undergo melt-freeze. No evidence of instability was observed in this area today. Snowpit data collected near treeline at 9,000' on a NNW aspect indicated that old near crust facets and buried near surface facets are rounding and showing no signs of future instability. A new layer of near surface facets is forming at the snow surface, but is not problematic at this time.

Minor amounts of surface wet snow in a transitional state from recent storm snow to melt-freeze was observed on E-SE aspects at ~9,100' at mid day. Ski cuts on several test slopes 35-40 degrees in slope angle did not create any loose wet sluffs. Looking out from Rubicon Peak towards general SE-S-SW aspects around the northern half of the Lake Tahoe Basin shows large areas of bare ground on SE-S-SW aspects below 7,500'.