Warming and windy at Paola

Toured up to Paola Ridge

• 6-8" of storm snow over faceted and/or surface hoar coated rain crusts at mid and lower elevations.  The storm snow was cracking underfoot consistently, generally 1 to 4' long.  The snow was denser in wind affected areas or later in the day, it became moist and more cohesive from warming at low elevations.  
• The freezing level rose to 5000' this afternoon. We noted rollerballs and a couple harmless wet loose slides.  Stability seemed to decrease as the new snow moistened. We observed numerous collapses with cracks radiating 10 feet on our exit at low elevations under a moist and more cohesive storm slab.  The collapses were occurring below the rain crust, and we found similar unstable results in a quick pit.
• Moderate to strong winds were transporting snow at upper elevations; We had limited observations from wind loaded terrain, but  didn't observe any cracking or instabilities associated with fresh wind loading. 
• The cloud deck lifted on our drive to show views of Mt. Nyack above Cascadilla Creek, and we noted a handful of D1.5ish looking debris piles originating from upper elevations. Crowns were obscured.  
• We traveled on moderate slope angles (~35 degrees or less) with no avalanche activity.