Weather:
Sunny, warm and a light Westerly breeze in the exposed upper elevations and ridge top. Temperatures in the 20’sF.
Signs of instability:
None. NO recent avalanches, cracking or collapsing.
Snow surface conditions:
Shady northerlies – 2-6″ of loose faceting snow sits on gradually harder old snow. There are still hard wind crusts and slabs among the soft snow to negotiate however.
Sunny Southerlies – melt/freeze regime. Hard sun crusts that vary in support-ability are softening by late in day for a couple hours.
The snowpack is old and tired. The spring-time conditions have been cool enough that there are still good riding conditions to be had on shady slopes and sunny slopes as well if your timing is right. Get the timing wrong on the southerlies and it’s survival skiing.
'Recycled-Powder' - soft snow on shaded aspects thanks to the faceting process during the last two weeks.
A look at Baird Peak from Portage Pass. Variable surface conditions.
Snow cover barely makes it all the way down to Whittier.
March SWE graph