Lost Johnny

We spent the day taking advantage of a sub-peak to assess conditions on as many aspects and elevations as possible. We had visibility of surrounding terrain and saw no recent avalanches.

• We received propagating results on an easterly slope at upper elevations at the surface hoar layer. Other stability test results on northerlies were ECTX and ECTN8.
• Minimal wind affected snow along ridgelines (a few wind scoured spots and pockets of wind loaded snow), leaving ample snow for loading in this region.  Isolated wind slabs were at most 4" thick, 4F hardness. 
• Mid elevations had 2" fresh snow, while upper elevations held 4".  
• We found ample variability in upper snowpack, with two similarities everywhere: surface hoar and a lil' fresh snow.
  • Southerlies and westerlies held fresh snow on a supportable 3" crust with softer snow beneath. Northerlies held thin, breakable crust(s) and easterlies had a 1" breakable crust beneath the new snow.

After finding a reactive weak layer below a non-supportable crust, our intended route down (on a south-easterly slope) became closed terrain. We hiked back up the ridge to descend via a SW slope, as it had a stout crust with fresh snow.

1. N / 6500' / HS= 230 / 35°

ECTN8, 30cm down on SH, 8-10mm. In this sheltered location, the surface hoar was the most intact and vertically oriented of what we found today, with a hard (1F) slab above it.

2. NW / 6900' / HS =205 /  40° 

ECTX. Though there were stil large (8mm) surface hoar flakes, the average size was 4mm.  The upper snowpack had multiple 1mm crusts with softer snow between, which we attritbuted to tree dripping/solar radiation in this location. Quickly digging in the surrounding area, we found areas with 4F snow above the weak layer and with fewer crusts.

3. E /  6900' /  HS = 180 / 30°

ECTP8, 25 cm down on SH, 6mm. There was a 2" breakable MFr crust beneath the new snow from last week.  Below the SH, the snowpack was uniform 1F hardness with exception a fragile Jan. 2nd crust (with facets) .