February 27
White Pine-Silver Creek
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
7800-11000', angles over 40°, all aspects
Snow conditions
1-3" of new snow over a mostly crusted base. The old surface was well frozen at all elevations and on all aspects. Winds prior to and during the little storm scoured windward aspects leaving a dirt and rock base in some locations.
Satstugi was also common. Lee aspects had a few shallow wind drifts, non reactive. New snow was, for the most part, well bonded, sluffing minimal.
Weather
Overcast early morning skies quickly changed to bluebird. Strong westerly winds also died out to near zero. Cool temperatures.
Evaluation
Mostly stable snow with a firm underlying base. Hazard was limited to potential of taking a slider on a steep slope. Future instability would be shallow new snow sluffs on shady aspects and wet activity from currently forecast rapid warming.
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