Coyote Yurt, Fox Peak

Did a short shot on E aspect staying under 28 degrees on 2/1 around 3pm with half of the storm snow on the ground. HS 40-60 cm depending mostly on wind scoured vs wind deposited areas. Very isolated wind slab with localized shooting cracks as well as subsequent whumpfs that spread quite far. Dug a pit at 8800 on a N aspect 22 slope around 4pm (marked pin, picture): F 24 cm storm snow with poor bonding K 2cm melt freeze crust from warming event F 9cm facets 1F/P 1cm weak melt freeze curst from liquid water in snowpack 4F 14cm denser rounded facets F 40cm basal facets Pretty easy to cause collapse and propagation with tests: CT6 SC on facets under melt freeze CT11 SC on basal facets interface CPST 30/100 END on basal facets interface PST 60/100 END on basal facets interface On 2/2 toured over to Fox peak with very conservative travel and descents under 28. Numerous, far traveling whumpfs upon entering every new area with a few causing a spooky drop in the snow underneath us. Only saw shooting cracks propagate to nearby pockets of steepness and frame them. Ski pen varied from being on top of and sometimes breaking through the melt freeze under the storm snow. HS24 varied from 10 to 30cm with maybe up to 50cm in some wind deposition zones — namely N/NW away from ridges. Hand pits showed consistent structure from the previous day except for two things (just from being in more terrain): 1. Some wind scoured north-ish aspects had very little between the melt freeze and basal facets and 2. Some ridges were so shallow that the warming event seemed to percolate water to the ground and leave slightly more stable rounded facets above the ground. Mostly around 8700 HS ranged from 30 cm near ridge tops and S aspects, 60-90cm on E/NE/W aspects, and around 105-115 on N/NW. No naturals or crowns observed nearby, but couldn't look very far with visibility.

Quick report