Sky: Overcast
Temp: Near freezing
Wind: Light from the North
Precip.: Very light snowfall starting 2:30p.
Observation: Summit
Location: Summit Peak - Northeast Flank
Toured up from the lake through the alders to treeline on the northeast shoulder of Summit Peak. Observed significant wind scouring / deposition and tried to find a somewhat average-depth spot for a pit. Pit location is definitely marginal as far as relevance to skiing between the alder patches back down the majority of that eastern slope of Summit.
Had some good views of Tri-tip and Templeton across the lake, showing extent of alder bashing to be expected – Photos 4 & 5.
Weather
Snow surface
Unconsolidated decomposing snow down low, wind-packed decomposing snow up higher. Did not observe the large buried surface hoar near the top of the snowpack to be as widespread as in other locations.
Snowpack
See snowpit photo - Photo 1 (caveat that this pit location was in a wind deposition zone, and snow depth varied significantly within the area of the pit).
Observed isolated pockets of buried surface hoard beneath the newest snow around the pit walls and while digging.
Major feature was interface between compacted decomposing crystals in the upper 2/3 of the snowpack and the well developed basal facets (between 15-35cm from the ground in the pit).
We performed several tests with varying results:
Shovel shear STM @ 33cm and 30cm (top of basal facets at different places in pit) - Photo 2
CT14 @ 25cm, Q3, and CT16 @ 8cm, Q3 (all within the basal facets)
ECTP24 @ 33cm (top of basal facets layer)
ECTN25 @ 24cm Vertical Fracture (same layer, different spot in pit) - Photo 3
Pit HS was 85-100cm, 25 degree slope, E-SE aspect.
Pit Photo
Shovel Shear Test - STM @ 33cm (top of basal facets)
ECTN25 @ 24cm
Tri-tip from Summit
Templeton from Summit