A few wind loaded pockets in gullys or north aspects. A few of these were breaking a little crack around 15 cms deep on top of facets. Nothing bigger. Mostly in hand/ski pole tests.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Sunburst
Sunburst, Initiated in normal skin track and made my own track towards north around the alders. Heading to the ridge.
Observer Comments
Weather
Sky: Overcast.
Precipitation: a few Flurries falling.
Wind: SW calm wind with gusts ~25 mph / 15 mph average.
Air Temperature: 28º F
Windy on the ridge (2800' ASL) ~ 30 mph
Snow surface
On the ridge, above 2300' ASL the snow surface was thin and wind affected, eroded by the wind, with those formations that I think are sastrugis? see the picture attached.
Below 2000' ASL I found a layer of (~10 cms) fresh snow (fist) sitting on top of a crust (possible melting or rain?). Under the crust layer was the airpocket/ground layer, with sugary snow in there.
Snowpack
On the way up I dug several hand shear tests.
Below 2000' the layer of snow was breaking above the crust. Above 2000' the whole snowpack was falling with nothing suspicious.
I dug a pit on a SW aspect at 2200' ASL
TSD: 31 cms / Fist penetration.
SA: 24º
CT ~15 broke on the bottom. Fist penetration all the way.
A few small cornices on N/NE aspects were breaking easy when jumping on top.
In some isolated pockets filled with snow the pack was deeper and a layer of new snow was breaking easy when opening track (Photo).
Below 2000'. Fist penetration of new, soft snow. Then the crust layer with facets underneath.
Isolated pockets filled by the wind. A layer breaks on top of older snow.
2015-11-21 15.56.23