Observation: Portage / Placer

Played around in the glaciers and peaks above Whittier. Observations are as follows:

Signs of instability: jumped on wind pillows and test slopes throughout the ascent with no results. Ski cut starting zone of 38 degree chute a few times with no result, then skied it. Snowpack below 1,000 ft was a little layered as felt with pole probes, with some probes revealing slightly higher density snow above lower density, but it was a very subtle density change. Above 1,000 ft. consistently right side up snowpack. Saw some old cornice collapses and sluffs, no slab avalanches on any of the peaks in the icefield. There is plenty of snow available for transport in the middle elevations. Found some tiny 4F soft fresh wind slabs that were unreactive.

Snowpack: above 3,000 ft, largely firm and wind affected: but still softer turns in more protected areas. At lower elevation; more soft snow with isolated but frequent locations of boilerplate and rime pillows and sastrugi to avoid. There is indeed quality cold smoke powder if you know where to look ;)