No collapsing or cracking
Observation: Hatcher Pass
Location: Microdot
We went to see if any of the persistent weak layers would still be reactive in snow pits. Surprising soft snow in places if you can avoid rock hiding below surface.
Observer Comments
Weather
Independence mine @ 10:30 Calm 24°F Broken sky
Microdot 3950' @ 11:00 E light wind 25° Broken sky
Snow surface
The snow surface is still highly variable, but in wind protected areas low density snow could be found. Some wind pressed snow in areas from earlier in the week. ski pen 10cm. Ski quality was surprisingly good if you can avoid rocks and old tracks.
Snowpack
We dug two snow pits on microdot today, poor structure was found in both pits. The snowpack has moderate strength and still has some propagation potential, with the 11/6 and 11/22 layer both propagating in PST's. Some striation could be observed on 11/6 facets. Both pits had tons of facets and chains of depth hoar could be found near the ground in both locations. The MF crust that was the bed surface in the 12/29 avalanche was not found in second pit on south aspect.
HS 90
30° West 3950'
CT14 SC @ ground on basal facets
ECTN14 @ 50cm from ground 11/22 rounding facets
HS 80
19° S 4100'
ECTN14 11/22 Facets 55cm from ground
PST 40/100 END 11/22 Facets 55cm from ground
PST 35/100 11/6 rounding facets
no MF crust was found in this location
Ray Wallace chutes with lots rocks still sticking out of the snowpack
Looking towards Hatch Peak and valley of sin.
11/6 facets, this layer was still reactive in PSTs