Mostly cloudy and threatening stormy. Temps below freezing. Wind light.
Observation: Summit
Location: Fresno Ridge
Toured up near treeline. Dug a few quick puts down low near the Powerline crossing and then two more up a bit higher at ~2,400’.
Weather
Snow surface
Variable snow surface. Lower along our skin track deep unconsolidated new snow over well-developed January facets. Higher up in more open terrain wind effects were noticeable under a few inches of new snow.
Snowpack
See attached pit profile. Generally we found poor snowpack structure but did not get immediately alarming instability test results. Many CTs were “progression compression” in the top 40cm of snow without a clear failure.
At upper pit location, HS 140cm and again progressive compression in CTs.
ECTX
PST 37/100End down 40cm from surface, which was the top of January facets layer and our layer of greatest concern.
HS 140cm - January facets 70-105cm
Shovel shear test breaking at top of January facets layer
Pit profile
Quick break in the cloudy weather at 2:00p.