Lost Johnny

Today we went up Lost Johnny.

• We found 8 inches of recent storm snow above a hard melt-freeze crust. 
• Ski cut wind loaded start zones just off the crest of the Swan and got no results. Observed no cracking. 
• Triggered one small loose dry avalanche on a steep breakover. 
• Solar aspects were warming during the afternoon. I'd expect a zipper crust tomorrow. 
• Observed small grained surface hoar at the surface on polar aspects. This may make conditions more sensitive when snowfall returns later this week. 

We rode steeper slopes that faced southeast where a hard and supportable crust exists beneath the most recent storm snow. 

No cracking or collapsing.

Dug one snowpit on a east aspect at 6700 feet. 

The JDL was refrozen and 140 cm below the surface. We did a PST and it was more like trying to cut a crust than a weak layer. We got no result during the test. However, a push shot the column off. At this location, we assume the next avalanche cycle on the JDL will be during a prolonged and significant wetting event. It appears very unlikely to trigger a slab on the JDL with a frozen weak layer and robust crust near the surface.