6"

Low

Powder

Marvelous skiing on feathery crystals, particularly at lower angles and in more protected terrain. Best skiing yet, really. Wind from mid storm made for crusts several inches below the powder up near ridglines and along midslope shoulders; its patterning was even visible in some valley bottoms. By later afternoon on steeper SE through S aspects a thin zipper crust was evident 1.5 cm below the unaffected particles on the surface. Energy from direct sun was easily dissipated at the surface, but under the thin blanket led to dampening snow. Lots of loose sluffs to be seen, particularly but not exclusively under rock bands. A couple crowns visible in upper Alexander, not sure whether they failed within the new snow, at the suspect interface from late December facets and surface hoar, or elsewhere. Still, the snowpack seemed basically stable.