Quick report
Skied Ball Butte SE and NE before moving to Smiley's and the Ramp. Weather was warm and calm through the morning, with a slight breeze at ridgetop. Snow surface wind affected, with sheltered settled powder on sheltered E/NE aspects. On Ball Butte, there was no wind slab to speak of. Broken Top E aspects were more wind affected, including the midslope on Smiley's. There was isolated thin 3-4" windslab just below the ridge that was stubborn and nonreactive. Storm snow is well adhered to the underlying icy base. S. aspects became solar around 11a, with small rollerballs and the surface becoming damp quickly. Glopping was an issue. The predominantly S facing portion of the Ramp had a slightly wet surface over heavy settled powder, with plenty of frozen rollers from late the day prior. I turned around about 4 meters from the ridge on the top panel as there was a thicker wind pillow there, maybe 40-50cm. Difficult to evaluate with a hand pit because of the depth. Probably wouldn't have been an issue, but it's not a good place to have an issue. Temperatures were quite warm by 1230 when I left the area, and were 45f at Dutchman at 1300. I suspect that all but the high shadies will have a suncrust tomorrow morning, and as we enter the next week of warm high pressure, it's the wind-scoured W/SW slopes that will become fun corn the fastest. Overall, moderate seemed right for the day with the possibility of producing a small to medium stubborn wind slab on steep lee slopes near ridgetop. Tomorrow probably the same rating but for the possibility of solar and cornice issues.