Quick report
Leery of a poor snowpack structure observed in NE- and E-facing aspects and nearly two consecutive days of above-freezing temperatures at ravine elevations due to the inversion, we started fairly early (6:45 am) and entered Tuckerman Ravine with the intention of climbing and potentially skiing and riding S-facing slopes. On the way up the TRT we observed day-old roller balls covered in new surface hoar, as well as what appeared to be debris from either a cornice fall or an isolated wind slab avalanche at the top of Left Gully (see red arrows in photo). Runnels could be seen throughout the ravine. We climbed to a protected area near the bottom of Right Gully, and noted what appeared to be wind-deposited snow, based on surface texture. A snowpit here revealed ~20-25 cm of moist fist-hard snow overlying a 1-finger+ to pencil-hard layer. Instability tests at this location yielded unreactive results (CTX, shovel shear revealed NP fracture between the fist hard snow and the underlying strong snow). I suspect the weak, moist, fist-hard snow in the upper 20 cm of the snowpack may have been a warming and weakening wind slab overlying a similarly warming and weakening rain crust. We continued to climb cautiously and rode the lower 2/3 of Sluice, wary of the potential for icefall hazard above us. Sluff that released while riding was dry and easily avoided.