March 17
Gobblers knob-Butler basin
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
6200-10400', angles over 35°, all aspects
Snow conditions
Radiation cooling produced a marginal, short lived refreeze. Interested in how the cooking down neccesary for corn was going, a run down southeast facing Gobblers was done. Ski cutting initiated a point release which ran several hundred feet, spreading a little as it ran.
Ascent of south facing indicated the old discolored surface prior to the last storm remains solid and well frozen. A couple of natural point releases were observed running into east facing Alexander basin and the southeast face of Raymond, around noon.
Northwest facing Gobblers was beginning to soften by 1 pm
Weather
Partly cloudy skies, mild temperatures. Winds were from the south, gusting to around 20 mph along the ridges. Hazy in the valley.
Evaluation
Wet activity with warming after the marginal freeze on sun exposed aspects was the only observed instability.Would expect some activity on confined mid to lower elevations shady aspects. Forecast cooler temperatures will sieze that up overnight. Spring snow conditions in effect.
Follow the sun.
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