Observation: Soldier Peak

Went to Soldier Pk with the thoughts that one side of the peak would be scoured and the other side would be blow in and wind buff with the strong SW winds blowing across the face, I was kinda right. The winds created a somewhat rare large cornice on the N side of the peak that released easily on approach and a bit further back than expected. The protected N facing snow around 8700ft was dense and easily packed into a snowball. I would expect the new snow to bond well on all but S facing which might have a slick melt freeze crust before it starts snowing, the surface snow on the other aspects doesn't seem weak do to wind compaction and warm temperatures.

photos: cornice fall, dense compactable snow, in protected terrain, wind on the ridge and a video of wind transport that kept up most of the day.

Settled medium density powder in wind protected terrain, damp on the S end of the compass and all aspects at lower elevations, wind crust and wind slabs in exposed terrain.