Sky Pilot Trees

Dug two pits on different aspects, both around 1450m. Compression tests in first pit yielded RP21 @ ~100cm and RP24 @ ~100cm as well. There appears to be a slight ice crust 10cm above the mid-Feb rain crust with soft snow in between. We wondered if sudden collapse between these two layers caused the destructive avalanches of the day prior. In general the storm snow seems to be bonding poorly. Lots of slough on all aspects. We chose mature forest to ski and were forced to gargle pow with each turn.