Large Pinwheels on Castle Peak

Skier triggered pinwheels up to 1.2 m in diameter accompanied by roller balls and small sluffs of wet snow started to occur on sun exposed E-SE-S aspects steeper than 37 degrees around 7600-8000 ft. by 11 am on the south side of Castle Peak. Wet snow also existed on these aspects up to 8600 ft. In the more exposed upper elevation areas that had been previously wind scoured or wind compacted the wet snow was not as deep and only measured 7-10 cm in depth as of 12:30 pm. This wet snow rested on top of a supportable melt-freeze crust. It had not fully transitioned to corn snow and remained wet and sticky in many areas especially on slopes below 7500 ft. On the northerly aspects slopes above 8000 ft. still held cold soft snow in many areas. Below 8000 ft. the more shaded northerly aspects held a 2-4 cm frozen breakable crust. No signs of instabilities were noted on the northerly aspects. 

Photo: Skier triggered loose wet pinwheels, roller balls, and sluffs on a 38 to 40 degree E-SE aspect at 7800 ft. at the coordinates attached to this observation. The largest of these pinwheels measured 1.2 m in diameter.