Hand Pit shows some layers
Rain/wind crusts sandwiching storm snow and some facets
Bottom layer sugar snow
collapsed layers after isolation
Upside down snow flipped upside down.
Observation: Girdwood
Location: Girdwood Valley
Skied up to Ragged top bowl today after a good amount of trail finding and some
slight bushwhacking. Lots of Whooping in wind deposited areas. below and above
tree line. Dug a quick hand pit (east facing slope, ~18-20 degree) and found some
layering. Wind blowing up high from North to South. Bottom layer of faceted sugar
snow with overlying rain or wind crust. Then some very light storm snow with
another wind/rain layer on top of that. Then heavier snow with about and inch of
light storm snow on top. Both crusts failed immediately once I isolated them in a
small block. Not too technical of a pit, but definitely some bad layers in there.
No observed slides, but slab layers seemed pretty sketchy. We stayed below tree
line for some alder tunnel skiing.