Spring Cherry Divide

This was an off-duty ski tour trying to get a better picture of how the recent storm came in and the characteristics of the 2/1 layer after being out sick for a handful of days. Observations were focused on snowpack structure and variability on the slope scale, along with aspect and elevation. In a data set of close to 20 ECTs in various pits, 2/1 reactivity and character was largely inconsistent. This layer produced everything from propagation with moderate force to no fracture at all, and everything in between. This demonstrates the spatial variability of the 2/1 weak layer. 1/6 was widespread and consistently either produced propagating results on the upper end of hard force or did not propagate. 

No obvious signs of instabilities observed.

While there was a warm up yesterday that created ambient temperature crusts in other similar elevation and aspect areas nearby, in areas I travelled other than completely sun exposed direct W aspects, I did not observe a crust. On W slopes with direct sun exposure and over 30 degrees, I observed a very thin sun crust that was thin enough to not impact ski quality significantly. Surfaces were a mix of DFs and PPs in other locations, with thin windboard observed at ridgeline above 9850'.

In a data set of close to 20 ECTs in various pits, 2/1 reactivity and character was largely inconsistent. This layer produced everything from propagation with moderate force to no fracture at all, and everything in between. This demonstrates the spatial variability of the 2/1 weak layer. 1/6 was widespread and consistently either produced propagating results on the upper end of hard force or did not propagate. Trying to move through terrain and trying to get my eyes on as much as possible after being out of the field for several days, I had limited other observations of aside from snowpit results, surfaces, and the lack of other natural avalanche activity / obvious signs of instability.