May 27, 2012, - Silver Basin, fog and mush

Was pretty excited skinning up under chair 4 (skis on at the patio) and into lower Silver Basin with blue skies luring upward.  But while climbing the final 300vft to the ridgeline clouds came over the ridge.  After gaining the ridge in fog, took a long lunch break on a dry portion of the ridge and caught a few teaser glimpses to the west and south while hopefully waiting for a break in the fog.  Finally gave up and headed back.  Climbed partway up Silver King to get on an aspect with less of a lee aspect from the recent new snow.  First ski cut made just "Chicago softball" sized rollers in the mush.  On a slightly steeper section I was able to get some very shallow (2-3 inches) surface sluffs to move a little, but the underlying snow remain secure.  Conditions firmed up considerably on reaching timberline -- temperature inversion had snow in the basin bottom nearly refreezing.  Slopes under chair 4 only slightly sticky.