Bacon Rind

We triggered several collapses when we stepped just off of the established skin track. We also found old cracks dozens of feet away from any tracks in other meadows, indicating that many slopes had previousy collapsed.  These collapses were only breaking 5-7" deep, on near surface facets and surface hoar, underneath the new snow that fell on Monday and a thin crust. While doing an Extended Column Test (8800 ft, E aspect) we initially had the layer propagate while isolating the column with a cord (ECTPV). When we carefully isolated a second column, cutting through the ice crust with a saw, we got propagation on the first tap (ECTP1).  The weak layer was dramatically weaker than I found at similar elevations yesterday in Tepee Basin (only 5 miles away). South facing slopes had stout ice crusts and percolation columns through the facets. The surface snow remained dry and cold in the shade. 

With such a thin small, these unstable test scores and collapses aren't super worrisome, because any avalanche would be very small. Winded slopes with deeper slabs would be more dangerous and conditions will become more dangerous on all slopes once it starts to snow again.