Frigid Four Lakes

Went for a short (and frigid!) tour to check out snow conditions at Four Lakes. Pit at TL on E aspect at 1550m: variable HS 115-145, one CTH28B down 30, one CT with no results, and no results ECT. Shovel shear test pulled a broken fracture down 70, which suspect might be the surface hoar layer but we couldn’t detect it with a loupe. We also found small facets ~20cm to ground. Toured up a bit to ridge top in light southerly winds, very light snow. Leaving treeline the nice soft powder quickly turned into strong wind affect - highly variable depth, hard slab, sastrugi, with east and southeast aspects nearly scoured to ground. We also found sugary facets right under the hard slab. Saw some old debris on east aspect but hard to see in the vis. Nice powder through lower trees and cutblock made for nearly pleasant survival skiing back to the truck. Alders definitely encroaching but manageable.