Toured up to the head of Essex Creek today and was suprised at the frequency of significant weather clearings- between light flurries- until about 12:30 pm. The sun was out and temps were high at these times, moreso on Cameahwait and Adams than lower down in the drainage. After 12:30, a storm rolled in and it snowed/graupeled with low-to-moderate intensity until about 4:30 pm. Above 6200' there was about 10-15 cms of new snow on top of a crust, making travel on steeper slopes a bit slick. There are certainly monster cornices along the Adams ridge (above the E face), and travel on the ridge was somewhat slow going after a season of getting wind hammered. The descent down the east face of Adams was generally on 10 cms of powder on a crust. .. was actually pretty stellar.
