Crudbuster

Light snow was falling throughout our tour.  Signs of instability like small shooting cracks were present along the corners of switchbacks caused by the 12/10 rain crust collapsing.  This layer is losing strength and facets exist below.  12/22 BSH was identified below brushline, but hand shear and ECT tests did not produce results, probably due to very low cohesion in the surface snow (no slab).  

At 3800' 12/22 BSH up to 6mm was also present with moderate ECT results and no propagation.  At this location the overlying slab would pop off the block cleanly with some energy on hand shears but N scores on ECTs.  This was interpreted as a layer that has the potential for propagation that did not currently have the threshold stess/weight above nor the slab character above.  

small cracks were observed connecting skin tracks near switchbacks that failed beneath 12/10 raincrust

20-30 cms of uncohesive snow was found above the 12/10 rain crust with facets beneath.  Rain crust was supportable up to 3000' and was becoming breakable above, and was mostly gone by 3500'. 

Surface hoar that was buried on 12/22 was identified in the upper snowpack along entire route up to 3800'.  No results on ECT's at 2800' and 3200'

 Pit results  at 3800' produced ECTN 14 and16 down 30 cms on BSH 12/22. PST END 90/100 down 30 cms 12/22 BSH repeated 2x.  The height of the snowpack was 180 cms with fair strength and fair -good structure aside from the BSH in the upper snowpack.   

November wind board layer was only 5cms thick and had lost strength(1 finger).