Cornice Failures and "almost" Corn on Rose Knob Peak

A few inches of wet snow existed on top of a supportable melt-freeze crust on the sun-exposed SE-S-SW aspects on Rose Knob Peak at all elevations until at least mid-day. This wet snow had transitioned to corn in some places and remained wet and sticky in other places. Sometimes patches of corn snow existed right next to patches of wet and sticky snow that had not fully transitioned. On the N-NE aspects, wet sticky snow and breakable crusts existed. Ski cuts did trigger some small loose wet instabilities on steep wind-loaded NE-E-SE aspects where the recent snow had not fully transitioned to corn. Near the ridgelines in areas where wind-loading had occurred deeper recent snow deposits still existed and colder drier snow still existed under a surface layer of wet sticky snow. 

Large cornices also exist above many of the wind-loaded slopes. One very large cornice section had collapsed on an E-NE facing aspect. It measured about 40-50 ft. in width and had blocks the size of small cars. It failed between 11:00 am and 11:30 am. Other cornices were dripping and some pieces were falling off of them around 11:30 am.

Photo 1: Large cornice collapse that occurred between 11 and 11:30 am this morning.

Photo 2: Small loose wet instabilities on an E-NE aspect at about 8800 ft. 

Photos 3 & 4: Wet snow depth at 11:30 am on a S-SE aspect at 9000 ft. and at 12:00 on a S-SW aspect at 8400 ft.