Quick report
We observed poor snowpack structure and propagating results in our test. Pair that with wind-loaded slopes and early-season terrain considerations, and we quickly decided it was not worth climbing any higher in the terrain today. While Left gully got skied from the top, our observation led us to make a decision that differed from that party's decision. An avalanche released in that terrain would have been significant, with a size large enough to injure, bury, or kill a traveler. On skis, poised and keen, Snow whispers secrets of risk, Footsteps tread with care. We observed nothing of concern until we dug into the snow. Left gully looked like it had been entirely loaded with big wind pockets that we fairly well connected top to bottom - This visual observation was the first thing that gave us pause
Weather
- Air Temp
- 26
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- none
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
The weather was pleasant, cold, clear, and beautiful. It is one of those days that makes Mount Washington feel a bit less relentless.
Snowpack
At 4659', we dug into the snow in the left gully; our location represented the entire slope. We found fist hardness snow on top of a 1-finger wind slab, which sat on a layer of 4-finger sugary snow above a stout ice crust. We dug no lower than this ice crust as it was firm and supportable; we had been walking on top of it while climbing. We performed an extended column test and got ECTP 11 failing within the 4-finger layer atop the ice crust. The snowpack structure and test results gave us pause on top of what we had observed with our eyes, and we skied some nice turns out of the bottom of Left to go home.