Ophir Peak

Cold air and east winds had us putting on extra jackets despite today's clear and sunny weather. We found soft surface snow in numerous spots as we moved through the shady slopes up to Ophir Peak. In contrast, the open, sunny areas we crossed held thin, breakable crusts on the surface. The soft, cold, surface snow on the shady slopes and the near-surface snow just below the breakable crusts have started to feel more sugary and less consolidated. Still, strong, well-bonded snow exists deeper in the snowpack. 

Once we gained the more exposed ridge, wind-scoured and sculpted snow surfaces became widespread. We found a mix of raised tracks, firm surfaces, and uneven wind-carved features. The east winds continued to blow during our tour, but we did not see any new blowing or drifting snow along Chickadee Ridge or Ophir Peak. When we kicked on some wind-loaded test slopes, we also did not trigger any signs of lingering instability. On the way down, we carefully picked our way through the wind-affected areas until we reached more sheltered slopes, which held more consistent and softer snow, similar to what we saw in sheltered areas on our ascent.