Essex Creek

Toured up Essex Creek (last visit was in mid December) to assess recent avalanche activity, surface conditions, and coverage. 

•We easily skinned from 3800' to 6800' with continuous snow coverage from start to finish thanks to valley bottom snow hanging on...
•Essex Creek was riddled with avalanche debris on all aspects and elevations, some recent, some old. (glide, persistent slab, wet loose, dry loose)

•A stout melt-freeze crust existed to our high point capped with 4-8" of fresh, dense powder from the recent storm. This recent snow was baked in the afternoon sun on solar aspects and skied like recycled pow on Northerlies. 
•Rider triggered dry loose activity on steep convexities (short running, nominal)

•Winds were dead calm with minimal wind loading/slab development along ridgeline. 
•Noted a few glide crack openings at upper elevations and previously undocumented slab avalanches in Upper Sheep Creek.