Solar warming. Recent looking debris on east face Seattle ridge, across from Cornbiscuit parking lot, D2-R3.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Cornbiscuit
Tour up to 3200′. Based on snow conditions near the parking lot, I thought we were going to be harvesting some corn today. Solar aspects still need to go through some Melt-Freeze cycles. Still powder to be found! Sunny skies and absence of wind led to a tanning sesh at the top of our tour :)
Observer Comments
Weather
Sunny skies with a few clouds. Light winds funnelling down Bertha creek, but many extensive calm moments. temp was -4.5C @3200' at 4pm but with rather strong solar warming.
Snow surface
Stout melt freeze crust, thinning with elevation, disappearing at 2000' on the west face. Rounded the corner to the towards the south face to discover a prominent sun crust (~2inches, @2500'), thinning with elevation but still apparent at 3200'. Lots of old rollerballs near bottom of the slope. The west face had nice powder, ~3inches (with some variablilty from wind). Below 2000' we had to work for our turns through the breakable MF crust.
Snowpack
Ski pole probing indicated a right side up snowpack for the top foot of snow. a Quick hand pit test resulted in a nonplanar break about 8inches down requiring a lot of force.
Recent looking debris on Seattle Ridge with crown in the upper right corner. (seen from Cornbiscuit Parking lot)
Suncrust from the SSW rib around 2500'
Widespread and numerous old rollerballs on the south face of Cornbiscuit