Quick report
Accessed W/SW ridge of Big Chief Mountain via Stevens Pass Ski Area for a short tour this afternoon. Skies were obscured to start with snow (S1-2) beginning around 1330. East wind was prevalent at ridgelines with transport of snow onto W/NW facing lee aspects, without evidence of cohesive slab formation. HN24 approximately 10cm. Old snow surface consisted of a melt freeze crust, notably with an ice lens cap at 5k' and below. above 5k' feet the crust was quite supportable and in open planar terrain surface conditions were quite good. Below 5k' feet and in treed terrain the crust became breakable and new snow depth on the old snow surface diminished, rendering the surface conditions fairly unsavory. Rain runnels were evident in terrain features such as broad/tight gullies and lower angle runout zones above 4.5k'. We inspected the new/old snow interface and the various early to mid December crusts in a pit at 5636' on a SE aspect. HS 120cm HN 10cm 12/7 crust ↓65cm (rounding grains/polycrystals, 0.5-1mm, above 12/7 crust) No notable results on shovel shear testing CTN (we did not conduct an ECT)