Observation: Summit

Started from the parking lot at 11:00; 32° and snowing lightly. Only about 0.5″ snow accumulation overnight. Ice on the trees indicates some rain last night but unable to find a crust in the snowpack so perhaps hasn’t had a chance to freeze yet. Some glopping on skins. Strong winds from the north but protected in the trees.

Started to feel wind crust at 2,000 ft elevation. On the leeward side of the meadow probed 60cm deep with a crust 15cm down, 45cm down. Walked about 20 feet over to the windward side and probed 230cm (!!!) deep with a crust 40 cm down, 75cm down. Jumped around a whole bunch and no shooting cracks or whumphing.

Turned around at 2100 ft elevation, visibility had been decreasing significantly in last hour and couldn’t get any visuals on anything up above us. Heard highway blasting starting at 1:15. Upper meadow was wind crust, lower meadow almost mashed potatoes, road down to the huts was fast and fun. Back at the car at 1:45; still snowing but not a lot of accumulation while we were gone, 34°.