Lightning strike

<p>Dug a pit on E slope, right around lightning strike. HS 100cm. Light (4F) snow on top of a hard crust (pencil) at 45cm down. Crust is 10cm thick and rests on top of 5cm of faceted snow over another hard crust that goes to ground. On column tests, the column would fail approx 60cm down (solft snow + 1st crust) as soon as the blade would cut the crust on the back to isolate the column. i.e. It failed before tapping. Sudden planar on a extremely smooth plane. The first crust is sliding on the faceted snow resting between the two crusts. Might take significant energy to break that 1st crust but once it goes... Similar result in ECT, whole column would fail when isolating it.</p>

Terrain Ridden

Mellow slopes.

Terrain Avoided

Convex slopes, Steep slopes.

Snow Conditions

Deep powder.

Weather Conditions

Cold, Sunny.