Observation: Girdwood

Standard uptrack to the lower bowl adjacent to Raggedtop, deep fluffy trail-breaking up until the windy SE ridge to the upper bowl. Took the wind scoured ridge up to the higher bowl below the Raggedtop where the wind calmed down and conditions were once again pleasant. The higher bowl was mostly sheltered from the northerly winds coming in from Crow Pass and over California Creek – although the SW ridge had signs of wind loading and further snow consolidation.

Dug a pit around 4500ft, average snow-depth was 100cm but thinning the higher we skinned. Unsurprisingly found basal facets but received an ECTN 25 mid pack, crumbling. Shovel shear test revealed the break on the crust/facet sandwich at the ground.

2 powder-filled laps from the sharky summit were fantastic.

By 4pm the winds started to pick up and make their way through the upper bowl near the ridges, good time to start departing to the car. Skied the extra windy ridge back down as we didn’t have much light to see into the lower bowl.