Observation: Turnagain

Overcast with occasional sucker-holes
Light Northeast winds with Moderate gusts
No precip
Temps in the 20's F

1-2" of new and very light snow on top of variable hard surfaces due to lots of wind affected snow along the ridgelines and exposed areas, these hard wind slabs/crusts are starting to break down with the cold temperatures. Sheltered areas still harbor soft settled powder with good riding conditions.

There were small fresh wind drifts along old cornices that would crack easily, however they were too small to affect a person.

We found the relentless Nov 16 buried surface hoar at 2,900' in the Southwesterly aspects of Warmup Bowl. This layer propagated in our pit at 18 taps (ECTP 18) and seemed to have a fair amount of friction at the interface (meaning it didn't want to slide easily). The slab was an old wind slab in this location not found on the steeper slopes.

The steeper slopes had a thin snowpack and consisted of mostly loose unconsolidated snow. The slabs that were present on these slopes earlier in the month are faceting away with the cold weather. With the slab loosing strength the probability of triggering an avalanche goes down. This looks to be our case currently, the weak layer (Nov 16 BSH) is still there but you need a slab to slide.