0600 temp. at 6350′ in Carnelian Bay: 29.8 deg. & 93% RH

Trace new snow

Backcountry obs.:

I headed out to the Eastside on Sat. and Sun., April 13-14 and skied in the McGee Creek and Pine Creek drainages. Snow is transitioning to a spring-like corn snow in the mid to upper elevations, but as of this weekend, it had not fully formed and is still in a transitional state from 8000′-10000′. Above 10,000′, snow is still cold and wintry on N-NE aspects, especially in steep and protected bowls and couloirs.

The week of April 8-12 brought high temps in the 50s and 60s and mostly clear skies to much of the eastern Sierra, quickly warming the cold snowpack. Initially cold nights with solid refreezes followed the warm days, but towards the end of the week, temps peaked and poor refreezes due to nightly temperature inversions kept the snowpack warm and wet. As a result, widespread wet slide activity can be seen throughout the range on all aspects in terrain steeper than 35 deg. Many popular couloirs slid late last week and are choked with avy debris.

In the McGee Creek drainage, the summer trail is clear from the TH up canyon nearly 2 miles. Descents on the N facing slopes of McGee Creek Peak are well filled in with coverage running down to the creek. The snow surface is transitioning to spring snow from 8000′-10,000′, but not quite there. A few more days of melt and solid refreeze will bring the snow into corn territory from its current state. Above 10,000′, sun crust and powdery wind deposits are still holding on in sheltered, steep N facing nooks.

Similar conditions existed in the Pine Creek drainage further south near Bishop on Sun., 4/14. A cold storm had given the snow a good refreeze and between 1-5″ of new snow on Sat. PM and Sun., 4/13-14, making for great travel and ski conditions. Snow is above the TH and requires a mile or so of walking along the summer trail/old mining road up into the Pine Creek drainage before reaching snow.

Much like McGee Creek, the signs of a rapidly-cooked transitioning snowpack are everywhere as massive wet slides have cleared out most gullies and couloirs. Underneath the light amounts of new snow, the base surface from 8000′-11,000′ was firm and sun affected, yet pleasantly edgeable and fast. Above 10,000′ enough new snow had fallen on Sun. to provide great dust on crust/powder conditions. This new snow will need a few extra days to transition into melt/freeze conditions. Above 11,000′, N facing terrain, couloirs and bowls still host cold, winter snow that will likely prevail for the next week.

In summary, coverage on the Eastside is generally average to just below and snow is well on its way to becoming corny, dreamy goodness. Another week of sunny skies, warm days and cold nights should do the trick.

Weather/forecast thoughts:

No storms are on the horizon for the next week or so as a beautiful spring pattern takes hold over the Sierra. Sunshine and highs approaching 60 each day this week look likely through the weekend. Lows will cool off into the 30s with lower temps in the mountains promoting at least modest surface refreezes. As long as temps cool off sufficiently each night, this could be the week for great corn snow up and down the Sierra.