Mount Baldy

Less warming than expected on sunny terrain above 11,000 feet due to wind and cooler than expected temperatures.  Wet Loose avalanche concerns existed below treeline and possibly on wind protected, rocky features near treeline.  The 3/23 interface produced a collapse on the only northerly feature we crossed and test results suggest that human-triggered avalanches remain a concern.

A handful of undocumented avalanches from recent days on northerly facing terrain near and above treeline. A few tiny wet loose avalanches during the day on sunny features near treeline. A single moderate-sized collapse on a northeast slope at 11,500 feet.

Snow surfaces above treeline remained cool with slight warming; just enough for creamy turns.  Lower elevation sunny slopes wetted a few inches down.  I suspect steep features would have produced a triggered slide but not enough wetting for natural activity near and below treeline.

While approaching a northeast slope to investigate the 3/23 interface my partner and I collapsed the feature.  The site produces moderate ECTP results on 1-1.5mm facets above the 3/23 melt/freeze crust.  Much of the slab is 1 finger hard and a little more than 2 feet thick.  There is a second dust layer in the snowpack about 6-7 inches down from the surface with faceted grains below that produced ECTN results but crossed most of the column which was surprising given the thin amount of snow above.