Quick report
After three days of roaming around the Crystal Mountain area with a Pro 1 Course, today was the first day we observed a thin crust/facet sandwich on the surface. Together, the twin crusts are about 6cm thick with a 1cm weak faceted layer in the middle. Below the crust is another 20cm of small and very soft/weak faceted grains. While not a problem currently, this structure could become problematic with further loading. We observed this structure in what seems to be an isolated area although we have limited observations in the 6,000' elevation band. This structure was spatially variable and reacted differently in mechanical tests even over a span of 100 or so meters. East aspect, near a creek bed with pronounced SH development on surface. East aspect, ~6,000', open glade near creek bed: Two thin surface crusts with weaker faceted snow between and below. Easy & sudden results on CTs (1-2 taps) down 6cm below crust sandwich. Non-propagating results with both ECT and PST. We performed some modified large column tests with an artificial load/slab on surface and did observe propagating results. Below crusts we found about 20cm of Fist hard faceted grains, then more typical strong and settled snowpack below that (rounds and melt forms). HS ~100cm
Snowpack
Generally strong and settled snowpack, with variable crusts and surface conditions (SH more isolated today below 6,000'). Near surface faceting of upper snowpack observed below crusts and down about 20cm (fist hard, ~1mm grains). RG and MF down to ground below that.