Fluffy Pow

Skied in the area Jan 14-17. Cold conditions, temps ranged from -23 to -14. No solar on the warmest day. The top 25 to 40 cm were fluff on all aspects, no consolidation. Except where there were obvious wind slabs and this was prevalent in the alpine. The bulletin cautioned many varying layers under the fluff and we found this to be true. We observed: N: pit @ 2020m. 38cm fluff, 38cm right side up, 5cm crust crumbling. No results in our compression or extended column tests W: quick hand pit @ 2100m. 25cm fluff on top of about 15cm of facets/sugar. S: quick shovel pit @2100. start of the wind effect. several layers in the snowpack here which may be prior wind, solar, hoar frost. Had moderate failures at 20 and 45cm. see image: top 20cm slid very cleanly from a skier above a skin track (unsupported). 45 degree slope. The layer it exposed was very soft so perhaps hoar frost? E-SE: we observed from a distance alpine naturals approx size 2. Perhaps storm or wind. (see image). We had amazing skiing with no worries about instabilities but under the fluff were many different layers.