Pea Gravel Ridge

While surfaces and crusts are weakening in a few select areas, widespread firm travel is the bigger story for now. Backcountry travel remains rugged and unforgiving with the cold temperatures. Ski crampons are an absolute must for the canyons. 

No signs of instability.

I went out to investigate the distribution of weak surfaces from our high and dry stretch along N-E aspects along Pea Gravel Ridge. I was hoping for some softer recrystallizing snow on the east side of the ridge, but instead, I was greeted by a mix of icy surfaces, old drifted snow/sastrugi, and very isolated pockets of softer snow.  Surfaces were inconsistent and firm to say the least. 

I targeted a more sheltered, shaded spot on a NE aspect @ 6000 ft to dig a quick pit. Here I found a thin crust capping faceting grains that produced easy, planer results with tilt tests. The 1/10 crust-facet layer roughly 30 cm below the surface is also quite weak and is comprised of 1 mm facets sitting over a knife-hard crust. While this set-up in this one location was quite weak, it wasn't representative of the whole slope. This set-up is incredibly spatially variable from our high winds and warm temps from weeks past. Check out the photos for a better visual. 

S-W aspects are locked up. These aspects have been through numerous rounds of warming and freezing over the last month. This stout crust was slick, supportable, and unforgiving on a day like today. Cold temps kept these aspects nearly bulletproof. 

Any travel in old-growth or thicker canopy is horrible.