Rain Crust 12-18-04

                               It rained even at the highest elevations (12-10-04 AM)

                      Frost crystals or surface hoar growing on top of the crust on a sheltered slope at about 7400'

                                       The brittle rain crust would fracture all around in front of me.  Mount Naomi in the background.

                                                              Shooting cracks in the very slippery, glass-like crust   

                                Weak sugary faceted snow often grows directly under crusts like this, which act like vapor barriers.

                                                     I almost went for a slide on the slick icy snow surface more than once.

                                                            A bright reflection on a slippery sliding surface: Cornice Ridge