Quick report
Our group skied a NE aspect down into Cement Basin, a NE aspect into Lake Basin (Saddle Chutes), a SW aspect off of Cement Mountain (down into Cement Basin), and a WSW aspect (from East-Platinum ridge down to the Bullion uptrack). 1. Crust was ever present below the fresh snow (6-12"), strengthening with altitude, but it was supportive and covered with enough fresh snow in most locations that skiing was enjoyable. 2. There were buried, frozen-hard chunks of debris (probably dropped cornices) both visible and invisible on some NE and SE aspects. 3. There was strong evidence of wind action in the form of snow transported to fill-in the skin track, some wind-pressed powder (showing sculpting), and scoured rain crust. 4. Hand-shear and uptrack tests showed the snow above the crust to be unconsolidated and non-reactive. Areas where the wind was directly active scouring or compressing were also non-reactive. 5. Cornice formation was evident in expected areas (E aspect of N-S ridges, NE aspect of NW-SE ridges) based on the W wind and visible transport.