Frostbite Ridge

A pretty meager and firm snowpack at low-mid elevations. Firm conditions prevail on windward aspects, with some faceting hanging on on polar and leeward aspects. Fortunately, temperatures in the 20s and cloudy conditions have kept snow surfaces from moistening and becoming thick, grabby and moist. There is still some decent skiing and riding quality, despite a 3 week long drought phase. 

Some small thin and firm (2") wind slabs were observed cracking in the Frostbite "Hypodermis" gully and on other isolated leeward terrain features like gullies, right below ridgeline.

Snow surfaces are showing 3 weeks of drought and the last weeks of warmer temperatures. Lots of settlement has occurred at low elevation and snow surfaces were predominantly thick, slick, and shallow. Snow surface quality generally improved above 2,200' where we began to see more faceting at the snow surface. This was variable however and detected intermittent albeit brittle facet/crust/facet sandwiches. Windward aspects on Frostbite were completely firm and wind buffed or extremely shallow (5-20cm) and faceted. 

We found several "wind cookies"--hard, thin, and non-reactive wind slabs--in isolated terrain like gullies on leeward aspects. More easterly aspects in the Frostbite gullies had some smooth and decent ski quality, but intermittent avalanche debris made some bumpy riding out of the bottom of the gully shot.