Observation: Hatcher Pass

Overcast with light breeze from the southeast. 19F degrees at 4000' and snowing at a rate of S-1.
12pm
15degF on Marmot 4500'
17degF at IM 3550'
22degF at Frostbite 2700'

2 to 3 inches of new snow at Gold Mint 2000'
5 to 6 inches of new snow in last 24 hours above 3000'.
Areas of wind blown snow on exposed ridgelines were visible just below yesterdays new snow. No new crusts were found despite warm temps at the beginning of the storm.

Old firm winds slabs could be felt underfoot on southerly aspects and made for challenging skinning in isolated locations.

We toured up the south ridge and dug on the south ridge at 3670' and on the SW face at 4100'. We observed new snow over slabs of wind-affected snow with variable hardness and thickness typically 2-4" thick. The exposed south ridgeline we climbed was shallow and scoured on the windward south and east face with deposition on the leeward western slopes. We found many of the wind slabs to be 4F soft with more pencil firm snow as we ascended into the upper elevation zone, where winds were stronger. Wind slabs were stubborn to move, well bonded with good friction.
The majority of the mid to lower snowpack is comprised of faceted snow that is rounding and the grains are somewhat moist.
Hand shears below 3400' failed with moderate force approximately 16"/45cm deep on a faceted crust or in facets below the crust. No buried crusts were observed above 3500'.
A second pit was dug on a SW aspect and showed similar snowpack structure with more depth.
ECT stability tests showed no propagation within dense slabs.
We searched for buried NSF (near surface facets) around crusts below 3500' anticipating that layer as a potential failure for 12/9-10 wind slabs but instead found rounding facets with no propagation.