East St. Mary's SE Ridge
Quick report
Dug a pit on the WSW facing aspect of the SW ridge of East St. Mary's around 8,800 ft in heavily wind-loaded spot. Snowpack was deeper than 3M (our probe length) but we only dug 1.5M deep. Despite some warming on the surface layer there was an ~ .75 m, fairly uniform and consolidated layer on top of a crust. No fracture or propagation in CT or ECT.
Avalanche
Observed dry point releases in the morning in steep bowls underneath cliff bands, including the south bowl of E St. Marys. Wet loose avalanches seen later in the day on S, W, and E aspects including Gray Wolf W Couloir. Large wet loose avalanche observed in steep SE facing drainage of E. St. Mary starting around 7600 ft (see photo). Triggered a few small wet slabs (~ 3" thick) on top of a crust at the end of a sunny day around 7,400 ft.