Observation: Cardiff Fork

Travel today was up to 10k around Georges bowl. New snow at the Cardiff TH was Tr-1" and new snow in the bowl did not exceed 2".  Where there were no old tracks the snow rode rather well but there is still very thin coverage.  I want to take a look at the more recent storms N/O interface (12/22) that other observers hae mentioned so I dug a couple of hand pits to check things out in the area. The quick pit I have pictured below was at 9300' NE facing, HS 93cm. The 12/12 layer was more reactive than I anticipated and would shear with easy to moderate force in my hand pits. The facets closest to the ground were damp and you could make a snowball with them but 50cm above the ground is still loose and dry 2mm faceted grains from November. This layer would shear with moderate to hard force. Photos below show total snow depth with a layer cake of hand harnesses in the top 45cm of the snowpack and the bottom 50cm of still FC. Also, the noteable layer down 20cm from the surface which could be another tricky layer if these storms coming in actually produce. I worry about this layer having a step down potential. The silver lining is that it is located on the same aspects and elevations as our November PWL and we shouldn't be riding avy terrain there anyway!