Observation: Mirror Lake Corridor

A typical early-season coverage pattern has emerged in the Mirror Lake Corridor.

• Slopes facing the sun have melted back to dirt and rock, even well above 10,000'. The exception to this is where prior storms stacked and packed snow into gullies.
• Shaded slopes at and above 10,000' are holding about a foot of snow. In rough, rocky terrain, there is a mix of coverage, largely dependent on prior wind patterns. Observed plenty of slopes that did not have enough snow to support future PWL concerns, and plenty of slopes that did. This will be a tricky distribution moving forward.

An impressive amount of faceting has occurred in sheltered terrain. Much of the snow has been reduced to a very weak (F-) pile of facets. Faceting was less pronounced in areas where the wind had packed the snow, but still present at the snow surface. Where there is enough snow to cover the terrain roughness, this layer will be capable of causing problems once a slab develops on top.