Very nice tour today across the Crystal Lakes basin to a high point at 6300 feet on the east slopes of Crystal Peak. We did not see evidence of any other parties travelling in the basin today.
Southwestern aspects very extremely wind-scoured down to the 12/9 rain crust. Other aspects had 5-15cm of fresh snow on top of the crust, with little accumulation throughout the day. We observed shooting cracks on an isolated, small, crossloaded gully at about 6000 feet in altitude on slopes NW of Crystal Lake. The gully was approximately 30 degrees, and the failure propagated approximately 3 meters across the width of the gully. Photo attached.
In the morning, the fresh snow seemed very light and uncohesive. After noon, we noted that the upper ~5cm had started to increase in cohesion, perhaps due to warming temperatures (my thermometer measured 31 degrees F at 13:00, 6300 feet) and would fracture easily, e.g. at kick turns.
A snowpit dug at 13:15 at 6300 feet elevation on a eastern aspect, approx .1 miles due south of the summit of Crystal Peak indicated a total snowpack depth of 120cm, with 15 cm of fresh snow on top of the 12/9 rain crust. This fresh snow failed easily (2 taps from the wrist) at a depth of 5 cm below the surface.