0545 temp. at 6350′ in Carnelian Bay: 22.3 deg. w/ 72% RH

Backcountry obs.:

Cold and haggard is the current state of the backcountry in the Mt. Rose area. Touring on Saturday revealed that the high temps during the inversions of late last week, combined with sunshine, melted surface snow at nearly all elevations and aspects between 8500-10,000′. The subsequent drop in temps refroze the melted snow, creating a firm, breakable crust (.25-.5″ thick) atop cold, soft snow. Even snow in shady, protected areas baked during the warmth and has now refrozen into the thick n’ crispy.

While it’s always great to get out in the mountains, the skiing is as you’d assume: challenging. No new snow in two weeks, combined with cold wind events and a quick warmup sandwiched in between, has created tracked out crust, providing great training and injury opportunities. Lower angle tree skiing hosts breakable crust that hungrily pulls edges deep into its icy grasp, making turns a laborious, confidence shattering exercise in humility. The steeps are dishing out their own slice of humble pie: firm and icy with the threat of long slides should you fall on a blown edge.

It’s not a bad call to bring out the ski crampons and whippets. Or maybe ice climbing is the better activity these days?

Weather and forecast thoughts:

The long, cold snow drought continues this week with no new snow in sight.

Expect a cold start to the work week under sunny skies and brisk NE winds. Temps on Mon and Tues will remain in the 20s throughout the backcountry above 7000′.

Temps will moderate a bit Weds – Fri as highs climb into the low to mid 30s each day under sunny skies and lighter winds. Inversions may again develop during this period with valley locations cooling considerably more than peaks and ridgetops each night.

Another dry, inside slider system may bring a reinforcing shot of cold air and NE winds next weekend.

Models suggest some sort of break in this cold, crispy pattern near the end of Jan / beginning of Feb, which may yield new snow. There’s plenty of winter ahead, but Jan may end up being a wash.