Rescue/ Nyack

Took advantage of the uninspiring conditions to look for solitude in the Rescue Creek area. Also surveyed new snow amounts, and extent and distribution of wind drifting. Found a little of each - two other parties, 3-5" of fresh snow that was crossloaded into soft drifts less than 8" thick at mid elevations, from downslope westerly winds. These were unreactive. Less scouring and drifting at upper elevations. Elsewhere, new snow was mostly sitting on recent melt-freeze crusts or old wind board. The exceptions were in sun- and wind-sheltered areas.  

Surprisingly good skiing, especially above 5500 ft. Quietest turns on northerly slopes and low-angle slopes.

Ski crampons useful on the icy trail into the basin, and on steep, wind- and sun-hardened slopes at upper elevations. No wet snow, no glopping.

Some short (< 1m) cracks around skis. New snow and recent Melt-freeze crust breaking on low density snow below.

7-12 cm new snow, F to F+ hard, sitting on 2-3 cm thick, 1 F hard, mostly supportable crust. At upper elevations, wind board replaced MFcr. 

Snow profile at 6950 ft, NW, 22*: HS 215, w mid-January crust down 45-50 cm. P-K hard, with very thin layer of rounding facets above, and 1F hard rounding FC below. ECTX, CTX. Holiday crust 30 cm below that, at about 140 cm from the ground. Did not test this layer. 

Surprised to find a snowpack this shallow in an alpine bowl, with the mid January MFcr close to the surface. A mostly buried debris pile below suggests the slope was scoured by a large natural avalanche. earlier this season. Given the test results, it doesn't appear to be a candidate for a repeater.