No red flags observed today except for a small slab that pulled out likely the day prior on the N face of Government Peak
Observation: Hatcher Pass
Location: Sunnyside 4068
Toured up from Skeetawk to 4068 and skied several laps on the main southerly face between 4068 and 4600. Overall skiing conditions were fantastic and much better than expected.
Observer Comments
Weather
Intermittent ridgetop clouds through early afternoon with low clouds/fog hanging in the valley. Later in the afternoon the NW winds kicked up and the clouds mostly cleared out. Winds were gusting NW-NE 15-25 mph
Snow surface
Touring up to the Frostbite SNOTEL, there was a mix of dense settled new snow, graupel, and an intermittent melt freeze crust (likely rime) on more wind exposed areas. Further up on the main face near 4068 snow conditions improved and consisted mostly of graupel and dense new snow. Northerly ridgetop winds were moving snow around but because of the dense new snow and graupel present, didn't really seem to forming wind slabs. Overall, snow conditions were pretty nice with the dense new snow and graupel providing and smooth and carvable riding surface.
Snowpack
Dug a pit at around 3000 ft just above the SNOTEL station on a 25* SE facing slope. There was around 15 cm of 4F+ to 1F hard new snow on top of a thin suncrust, with 4F hard decomposing new new below. Got an ECTN25 on top of the suncrust with a very rough planar shear. Little to no energy in the slab interface. Didn't even pull out with a shovel shear. New snow seems to have bonded quite nicely to the old surface below.
Looking up to N side of Government Peak
Wind kicking up snow on the ridgeline between 4068 and 4600