November 26, 2017, Stevens Pass N(ice) Corn

A reality check of the train's impact on the snow pack was realized when our touring options were limited to skinning the resort at Stevens Pass. We encountered a breakable rain crust on top of a supportable rain crust from earlier in the weak. The top rain crust ice over and formed a breakable slick surface, but a glimpse of sun turned it into corn on exposed slopes. On shaded slopes this might be a cause for future instability.

For too long I've been hearing an old urban myth that rain doesn't have much impact on snowmelt...I checked it this last time the Pinapple hit Whistler and it was very clear that 26" went away at Pig Alley in just a few days. Less up too, more on the bottom. Worse at Stevens and Baker I believe.

I agree about the heard no big impact thing (the Larry Schick)...and if the snowpack is nice and consolidated I do believe that story line...but we got a really nice cold hit of good quality snow....it was not dense...it was not packed in....it was mostly air and it really did melt away - impressively actually....Well what we got now is pretty nice base building solid and the forecasts look reasonable for the qood stuff on top of it....So....

Otherwise how is Whistler - thinkin about sometime around the 12th.