Observation: Guardsman Pass area

Short late afternoon outing just in time for frontal passage with lowering temps and snow densities. Storm snow was predictably touchy during periods of high PI, but I suspect this will largely settle out by Saturday. Was interested to see the different weak layers that I identified on Thursday in White Pine (observation) and if they are as still reactive. Few different pits on northerly aspects between 9500' and 10,300' and results were ECTN in the mid teens, failing within density inversions within different graupel events. The snow surface from 3/1 - 3/2 was lower-density, with some faceting, and this layer was very reactive on Thursday in White Pine. This layer is now down 60-90 cms and ECTN in the low 20's.

Take home for me was that the 3/1 - 3/2 layer is gaining strength, and is not likely to be as reactive as it was on Thursday. The different density inversions between graupel layers may still be reactive in isolated areas such as where graupel pooled below steeper cliff bands.

Instabilities should settle out once the snowfall rate decreases, but I'd be patient on Saturday, especially on aspects facing northwest through northeast where there are weaker layers buried more deeply that may still be reactive.

30-40 cms storm snow since Thursday. Bonded well to old surface. Quite a bit of cracking in the storm snow during periods of heavy precipitation, with some wind-loading on leeward easterly aspects along upper elevation ridgelines.