Cache Couloir

It was hot hot hot out there today. Down in the valley forest, the snow surface was fairly firm, but man is it dirty. Needles, branches, open water, collapsing snow bridges, you name it, we got it. The firm surface gave hope that we could find something resembling corn to ski. As we entered the open by Source Lake, those hopes were quickly smashed. Wet manky snow existed before 9am. As we ascended higher, it did stiffen up a bit, but never was a supportable crust. 

On the north side of Chair Peak, we got the closest thing to corn skiing as we could. Fairly supportable, but hooky snow resulted in variable turns to the top of the Cache Couloir. The chute was flushed and full of debris. We easily pushed even more down it. Where it was smooth, the bed surface skied nicely.

Heavy wet snow was our prize on the apron of Chair Peak heading back south into the valley.

Wet and weak surfaces abound. Dry snow no longer exists.

While the upper snowpack is mostly moist/wet, there is still some dry snow. The lack of firm crusts was a bit of a surprise. Snowpack tests were fairly unremarkable, but my ECT column pulled out fairly cleanly in some dry snow when I gave it a good tug. It appeared to be an old wind slab. Large junky polycrystals existed about 80cm below the surface.

The snowpack may still be capable of a few surprises before its transition is done. 

I didn't dig too deep, about a meter.