None today but given the activity observed in Seattle Creek drainage and other areas on the periphery of the forecast zone yesterday, my partner and I kept terrain choices conservative.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Tin Can common
Tin Can. Common up track to Common bowl. Some cornices (see photo below) appear to be defying gravity.
Observer Comments
Weather
Snowing off and on. 2-4" of wet snow at road level this morning (32 degrees) all melted away by 5pm. Intermittent sun mid-day gave way to a persistent cloud bank that socked in the Pass in the afternoon. Winds light to moderate (some pluming visible on ridges) from the east. Temps were very comfortable in the high 20's @ 3,000'.
Snow surface
3-5" wet snow on top of a moist 1F breakable crust up to 2,000'.
4-6" medium density snow on thinning crust up to 2800'.
Above 2800' crust disappears and 4-6" of medium density new snow was skiing very nicely.
Snowpack
Dug a pit at 3200' on North aspect. Small doses of new snow each day over the last week appear to be consolidating into about a 2-3' slab and gaining strength. Two extended column tests performed with no results (ECTX x2). I found a layer of moist facets (rounding) about 3 feet down but could not initiate any results on this layer (March 24/25).
Gravity-defying cornice above Hippy bowl, Tin Can.
Natural avalanche reported to CNFAIC yesterday on skiers right side of Todd's run.
ECTX x2. A weeks worth of storm snow buckling without fracture or propagation under 30 taps (wrist, elbow, shoulder).