Observation: Summit

Time: 11 AM to 3:45 PM

Route: Manitoba standard up-track to the top; two runs down the main West face

Weather: Light snow starting midday. 30-38f with overcast skies and light generally N winds,
gusting to moderate above treeline.

Snowpack: Below 2500′, very thin snow cover. A non-supportable melt freeze crust sits on 2-
6″ of moist or wet snow.

Above 2500′, recent wind affect has left anything from a thin wind crust to an 8″ wind slab on
the surface. Below this layer was the rounding facets buried in early February or decomposing
fragments from last week’s snow. There was great variability in the thickness and hardness of
the surface layers. Ski penetration along the entire route was never deeper than 6″. Minor
snow transport with gusts.

Instability: No cracking, one minor instance of collapsing, and no recent avalanche activity
observed (though visibility was limited due to flat light.)

A test pit at 3500′ on a West aspect, 25 degree slope just off a ridge failed with an ECTP 25
BRK, 20 cm down in fist plus hardness 2mm rounding facets. Above this weak layer was a 1f
wind slab. Snow height was 120cm.

Bonds are forming in the facets buried last week; the hardness varied from fist plus at the top
– where the ECT failed – to 1 finger at the bottom of the ~10cm weak layer. There was no
temperature gradient surrounding the weak layer at this location.