Quick report
We found plenty of evidence of wind effect during our travels today. The new sun crust was a bit of a surprise, however. In exposed areas, drifts, cornice development, textured surfaces, and actively blowing snow were abundant.
In sheltered areas, well settled powder and recycled powder made for fun and soft skiing.
Hazard was confined to wind loaded features everywhere we traveled.
Localized cracking in wind-loaded terrainWeather
Overcast for most of the morning with a few blue holes. Winds were fairly calm in the valley but were gusting to moderate on the Divide.
Snowpack
Slopes that often see direct sunshine had a new breakable sun crust on the surface.
Digging on the shaded side of the dial, I found multiple interfaces and thin crusts above the EFC. Weak snow was identified at some of them. They produced failures during small and large column tests, but did not propagate during ECTs.
Roughly 11cm over the 2/14 and 46cm over the EFC on the Divide.
Avalanche
Skier triggered wind pocket on an unsupported feature while skiing down to the lake. Too small to call an avalanche, but broked like one.