Quick report
Only place found with old underlying facets was in a due north sun and wind protected area in Dutces Draw, still had to pound the crap out of the column to get a shear, my thinking is it was just a small area mabye 60ft by 60ft with this structure, any change in elevation or aspect revealed either no old snow, or a damp melt freeze crust at the bottom, pit was about 9000ft.
Damp roller-balls on SE facing S monitor.
Snowpack
11 inches of medium density snow, mixed in with a good amount of grouple. 11 inches of boot penetration with a spongy and lively base underneith. the denser snow and grouple is just what we needed to cap the rocks off and create a faily bomber base. Snow on the off aspects was damp by mid-day. Anything below 8500ft was either damp or crusted from rain.