Winds have wreaked havoc for the Eastern Sierra over the last several days. Strong N-NE winds on Wednesday, then VERY strong SW winds on Friday, and today’s very strong S-SW winds have stripped snow from exposed areas at all elevations and aspects leaving surfaces a mix of firm wind-board, breakable crust, and even stripped bare ground. Sensitive wind slabs have formed, stabilized, and re-formed, and re-stabilized? With so little loose snow left for transport in these mid to upper elevation exposed areas, avalanche concern will actually be greater for lower elevation, somewhat more sheltered areas where today’s strong winds will find loose snow to transport. Recent observations have found that the loose snow that does exist out there is faceting, and that some recent thin wind slabs are sitting ontop of weak facets. These facets will be of greater concern on Monday when we have fresh snow deposits sitting ontop of them.