8"

High

Dense Loose

Wind Crust

Rain-Rime Crust

Damp

A fair amount of complexity in the aftermath of such a warm storm. It seems like the top of the current snowpack can be categorized fairly well in three different elevation zones. Below 9,000': It seems like terrain below 9k saw mostly or entirely rain. There was a pretty stout refreeze crust (supportable for skis and boots) at this elevation above Alta Central this morning, with wet snow underneath. I think that this elevation will become very stable once it has a chance to thoroughly drain and freeze. 9 to 10,000': Things are a bit funky in this elevation range. There were a few inches of graupel on the snow surface, on top of a rain crust (generally supportable for both skis and boots), on top of another few inches of graupel, on top of the old snow. The graupel on the surface got quite warm, and seemed to be consolidating/bonding to itself. The graupel below the rain crust was fist hardness and very poorly bonded, still very "ball bearing"esque. I don't think this is a concern for now, but I will be interested to see if this layer becomes reactive the first time that it warms and becomes saturated. Above 10,000': It seems that nearly all precip above 10k fell as graupel. Wind loaded snow on top of this graupel layer was touchy, the graupel here was also poorly bonded and acting as a weak layer.