Stevens Pass sidecountry

A beautiful day to get views of the surrounding mountains and appreciate a slight improvement in travel conditions. There wasn't a lot in the way of avalanches or concerning snowpack structure. 

Consistent with low danger, there wasn't a lot to investigate in the snowpack. A very firm and supportive 2/7 crust is widespread with small accumulations of recent snow above. At low elevations, a dusting from the past 24hrs sat over a breakable crust (2/9) that formed during the storm on the 7th. Above 5,200ft, the most recent snow added up to 4cm over the crust. This began to overcome the loud, less-than-desirable travel conditions found at lower elevations. At 5,500ft, the mid-storm crust became very thin in the middle of 8cm of recent snow over the stout 2/7 crust. Based on profile location and other recent observations, the 1/28 interface is no longer discernible and integrated into MF in the upper snowpack.
Cooling temperatures and clearer skies have helped the upper and middle snowpack slowly freeze and become more supportive than it was over the weekend.

Surfaces
New snow (DFs)
Surface hoar (1-2mm) in meadows, near creeks, and typical low, open areas.
SE-SW became moist starting 11a.

Profile
Tunnel Creek, 5,500ft, SSW
HS 110cm, Boot pen 10cm
1-2cm of HN added to the shallow recent accumulation of 8cm over the very supportive and frozen 2/7 crust. The crust was 20cm thick. 29cm below the surface, layers became moist and less frozen.The entire snowpack was well-transformed melt forms and more frozen than only 2 days prior. Other than surface snow, there are no layers of concern. See profile graph.