Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
- Collapsing
- isolated
The layer of concern was the top 2”-4” of storm snow from this past week. We avoided steep slopes with poor runout as much as possible. Punching through the layer below that to get purchase took a bit of effort, but the layer below was very stable to walk on. Don’t know if I’d ride off any steeps anytime soon, but maybe after the next small snow if the snowpack is still pretty chill. Definitely an ice axe/whippet outing NTL/ATL. Traction was key BTL before surprise lake. Booting the sheer ice with my mountaineering boots wasn’t fun. Fairly shark infested waters around the boulder fields still.
Avalanche
Saw some D1~D1.5 wet loose naturals from a few days ago by Slippery Slab Tower/Thunder Mt and on the way around the ridge to Spark Plug Lakes.