Maggie's Ridge, Hurricane Ridge

With above freezing temps, clear skies, and calm winds it was a gorgeous day to be in the mountains. In the morning hours, snow surface conditions were very similar on both the northwest and southeast aspects of Maggie's Ridge - widespread surface hoar up to 5mm in size on a breakable crust. Conditions on the southern aspects changed quickly in the sun, melting the surface hoar and softening the crust, resulting in spring-like skiing conditions down the Maggie's skintrack - one of the more continuous lines left on southern aspects of Maggie's. A snow pit (5480', W, HS 81cm) revealed many crusts throughout the profile. A column test only produced a CTH Q3 progressive collapse in faceting snow above the knife hard rain crust from early February about 20cm below the surface. We saw no new rollerballs as of noon.