Dollarhide Summit

I found weak snow in most locations except on shallow, moist, sunny aspects. The slabs I found above the weak layers were either too thin or too weak to propagate a fracture. I observed limited wind-loaded areas where this would likely be a different story. 

I rode and walked on a limited amount of older drifts around the summit; this was the only location where I found boot-supportable slabs.

Snow amounts increase significantly at similar elevations from the Warm Spring winter closure to Dollarhide Summit. This is not uncommon, but more frequent early-season snows seem to have withstood melting and warm days near Dollarhide, creating a much more dramatic difference than normal. Start zones above Frenchman's Bend (8,000-8,500') were heavily disrupted by timber and held similar-looking coverage to 7,000' slopes near Placer. Higher snow totals and better coverage looks to extend over the summit into the Soldiers. 

NE @ 8,500', HS = 60 cm, burn area near Wx Station: 
See photo. Small surface hoar at the surface. A 45 cm slab grades from (F) near-surface facets to (1F) packed small facets. Very weak 20 cm thick layer of 3-4 mm depth hoar at the ground. A faint, fragile (12/6?) crust was noticeable down 27 cm. (11/30) produced ECTNs 13,14,15, and CPST 30/100 END. 

W @ 8,600', HS = 45 cm, previously wind affected: 
See photo. (11/30) was likely disrupted by wind here ECTX (x2). Facets under the (11/22) crust down 13 cm look problematic when we build a slab.

SE @ 8,800', HS = 40 cm, open planar: 
See photo. The structure here was not great, particularly below the (11/22) crust down 13 cm. I did not find weak snow at the ground. ECTNs and ECTXs below each of the two prominent crusts. 

SSW @ 8,500', HS = 20-30 cm, steep, open, planar: 
Steep SW, S, and SE have moist snow with a mixed bag of stout crusts. Slopes closer to Placer and Warm Springs are bare at this elevation.