None observed. Other skiers mentioned very minor facet sluffing in steeper terrain.
Temps in the teens
Light east winds with some higher gusts in the afternoon.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Seattle Ridge
Toured the Seattle Ridge up-track to 2500′. We did rescue drills and looked at surface conditions. Also got a good look again towards Todd’s bowl and Tincan in our inventory of paths that have slid this season. Heather’s pit Wednesday showed a very weak snow on a melt-freeze crust in a Cornbiscuit path that had slid. We are concerned about paths that have slid being repeat offenders with a new snow load.
Observer Comments
Weather
Overcast with a brief moment of sunshine through the clouds.
Snow surface
Surface hoar... 6mm-1.5 cm
Snowpack
Did not dig any snow pits. During rescue drill @ 2500' snowpack was 150 cm. Found moist facets at the ground under a 40 cm melt-freeze crust.
There is a lot of scouring and drifting across Seattle Ridge snowpack depth was variable 15 cm to 150cm.
Under the surface hoar there is 4-6" of near surface faceted snow or the surface hoar is on a very firm wind crust or melt-freeze crust that was exposed by the Dec. 21-24 wind event.
Surface Hoar @1700'
Seattle Ridge Uptrack snow conditions
Wind scoured @ 2300'
Surface conditions
Surface hoar and near surface facets over a melt-freeze crust
Surface hoar @ 2500'
Rescue practice shoveling
Beacon search for second burial
Todd's Bowl with debris from December avalanche cycle
Looking across the Arm towards 20-Mile, always hoping for #snowtosealevel