Moonlight bowl

Our main objective was to dig a profile at the crown of an avalanche triggered on 1/7. The profile revealed that storm interfaces are gaining strength. We tested a number of cornices and wind-loaded slopes, which were all stubborn to trigger. Southerly slopes warmed and became moist from the sun. 

Isolated cracking in wind drifted snow and cornice features. Rollerballs and tree bombs began around 11a.

Surfaces
All surfaces were soft and dry in the AM. Wind has stiffened the surfaces of many exposed slopes, even on treed ridges and open areas at lower and middle elevations. SE-SW slopes moistened by sun in the late-AM and formed crusts.

Recent interfaces
Listed as depths below the surface
↓~60cm: Jan 6th interface (start of the most recent storm)
↓95-120cm: Jan 3 crust

Wind effects
Strong to extreme winds formed drifts and impacted surface conditions in a wide variety of slopes, including well into mid-elevations, and some open low-elevation areas. Extensive cornice and slope testing at the mid-elevation ridge of Moonlight yielded only stubborn cornice falls and cracking with limited propagation. Notably, crowns that were sharp and obvious on the 7th were very filled in or even unrecognizable.

Crown Profile
We went to the crown of a previously reported avalanche in the Moonlight area.
Generally good hardness profile, and tests indicate that the interfaces have gained strength since the avalanche. See images and graph below
Moonlight, SE, 5,275ft, leeward
HS 259cm, HN24 29cm (wind loaded), boot pen 77cm
0-29cm:          F
29-59cm:       F+, Jan 7  @ 59, CTM(RP)
59-95cm:       4F-4F+, Jan 6 @ 95, CTH(RP)
95-115cm:     1F, 0.3-0.5mm RGfc, ↓115cm PST END 84/115
115-120cm:   K-P, Jan 3rd crust, crumbly, bed surface reported in avalanche involvement
120-130cm:  1F (variable)