E and NE aspects of Black Mtn

Toured up E and NE aspects on Black Mtn above Red Lake to see how the prolonged warming was affecting the snowpack. Evidence of many previous and recent D1-D2 loose wets in Red Lake Bowl, and a few smal wet slab crowns down lower. Ski cuts on steeper rolls near trees or rocks produced small but touchy loose wet point releases. Below about 11,000' on E aspects the melt-freeze crust from 0418 was breakable at best and unsupportable at worst by 9am and the whole snowpack was moist to wet. On NE aspects the crust was still supportable except near trees and rocks until about 10am. A skier who skied from the summit just before me reported that S ascpects were still good supportable corn above about 11,000' at 10am. N aspects were still frozen below 10,500'. Boot penetration was at least boot top on E aspects up to 10,800' at 10am when I turned around because I was unwilling to expose myself to steeper terrain given the already poor and deteriorating conditions. A frew previously wind loaded ridges, some with cornices, has large glide cracks opening up at the root. Glide cracks were open at many stress points like convexities.