Sherwin - High winds, minimal snow

Late afternoon tour up the Sherwins to check on the massive amounts of new snowfall (we wish) and wind effects.  Throughout the day snow could be seen being blown into the air at all elevations in the mountains sourounding mammoth, way before snowfall began.  Maybe an inch of new snow this afternoon, but very strong winds made it quite hard to tell.  Many places showed eroding old old snow surfaces, and sporadic areas had dense wind deposits 1-2" deep, with the deepest measuring up to 3" just below the ridgeline.  Hand tests on wind deposits failed cleanly with moderate force (see attached video of hand-pit test).  Virtualy no areas were sheltered from the wind at any elevation.  Strong SW winds with some very strong gusts while up in the Sherwins before dusk, and extreme at night back in town.  No cracking, quite dense new snow bonding fairly well to old surfaces.  Imagine where new deposits were on hard smooth old surfaces they would be more senitive to a trigger. Relatively warm air temps, just above freezing at the parking at the end of Old Mammoth Rd at 5pm.  Light snowfall (s-1). Hope more snow falls tonight!