Warm temps in the low 30s at the trail head. Calm winds at treeline elevations but we did see some wind transport along upper ridgelines.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Cornbiscuit
Toured up to top of treeline on NW ridge of Cornbiscuit then across to the SW shoulder.
Weather
Snow surface
2-5 cm thick melt freeze layer on the surface up to about 2000'. It was not as thick or frozen at higher elevations so the skiing was a little better. Below 1500' the surface crust was partially frozen. We saw tons of roller balls on the surface on E, S, W aspects up to about 2500'.
Snowpack
We dug pits on a NW aspect at 1900' and on a W aspect at 2000'. The 1/10 layer of buried surface hoar was about 1.5-2' deep in both locations but we did not see propagation on that layer in our extended column tests. We also found another layer of surface hoar about 8" deep that I think was buried on 1/18. This layer did not have propagation in our tests either.
Snowpit structure at 1900' on a NW aspect. Note two layer of buried surface hoar in upper 2' of the snowpack.
Socked in with valley fog in the morning with alders still peaking above the snow surface a bit.
Visibility improved throughout the day and we had sunny skies in the late afternoon. No recent avalanche activity in our area, except widespread roller balls on W, S, E aspects up to 2500'
Lots of roller balls on the W face of Cornbiscuit.
Adding to already large cornices at upper elevations with these last several wet and windy storms.