Elephant's Hump

I toured around the lower parts of Elephant's Hump above Red Lake today. Conditions were generally consistent recent observations from other parts of the forecast area. I was impressed by how soft and faceted the surface snow is in shady below tree line areas. I found an old track that was maybe a week old and the snow that had been previously compressed was now soft and easy to brush away. While digging a pit the familiar facet/crust combo was quickly apparent. While the facets are weak (especially close to the surface), the crusts are strong and it will be interesting to see how the snowpack reacts if it receives a signficant load.