For those of us accustomed to low-snow at the trailheads and deeper blanketing up high, this more-even coverage from basically one cold storm takes some getting used to. Snow heights of 60 cm can be seen at Red Pine/White Pine junction (around 8200) or on the Tri-Chutes aprons (about 10,000’). Thought we’d ski to East Pass but talus fields told us otherwise!

Quick hand pits on high elevation west gave no signs of concern: right side up slab over damp facets. This could change with the wind blowing snow this afternoon and presumably through the evening. On the home-run ski I cracked-out small chunks of shallow wind crust.

Finally, surface hoar formed under this morning’s high-enough RH, cold temps, and clear skies. Grains were not standing “loud and proud” as one ski partner commented, but certainly present where terrain features pool the still, cold air. I didn’t get a good sense of its distribution, but if Monday’s snow buries the hoar before wind knocks it down it could be a layer to keep track of in isolated areas. Slightly slippery skinning might also speak to minor near surface faceting on some slopes.