Flagpole Observation

Toured up Flagpole Peak today checking out any new snow accumulation (very little) and melt freeze conditions (shallow freeze). Approaching Flagpole it was clear that the snow surface was very different depending on its aspect and the density of tree cover. Over a short distance I skinned over quickly softening E facing slopes, frozen but breakable to boot crust on NE slopes and total wet mush in the trees. Ascending Flagpole Peak I mostly found firmer conditions. I didn't observe any noticeable new snow until about the 7600' elevation line but accumulation was random all the way to the summit. A few areas had very shallow wind slab, a few areas had very shallow unconsolidated new snow and many areas had no observable new snow. Winds were light but seemed to be keeping snow conditions a little cooler than they would be without the wind. There were clouds over most of the sky with a few patches of blue but clouds were pretty thin and while they cut down the suns influence, they also let through some of its wamth. 

Ph 1: Looking up at Flagpole Peak. There is a several hundred foot long wet slide off the rock buttress to the left of Flagpole Peak that appeared to have happened yesterday.

Ph 2: Checking ski penetration vs boot penetration on an open south east aspect at about 6600 feet at 9:30AM. ~ 1 cm ski pen and 10 cms boot pen

Ph 3: On NE open aspect at about 6700' at 9:35 there was crust that was mostly breakable to boot pen (5 cm boot pen) but totally supportable to ski pen.

Ph 4: In the trees at the base of Flagpole at about 9:45, snow was mushy and boot pen was ~ 20 cms with ~4 cm ski pen. 

Ph 5: Classic dark rock wet loose activity near the base of Flagpole from yesterday. 

Ph 6: The rarely seen melt freeze reverse skin track. At least rarely seen thus far this season.

Ph 7: Very little new snow accumulated on Flagpole. This was one of the deeper areas I encountered with 1-2 inches. 

Ph 8: Looking towards Ralston and Pyramid. The old large crowns on Ralston are still quite visible. 

Ph 9: This is about 100 feet below the summit and the old skin track highway from is still visible and doesn't appear to have any new snow on it.

Ph 10: Some shallow loose wet slide activity as a result of a ski turn at 11:00AM.