Garnet Canyon

Found new snow instability in the upper elevations (primarily above 10,000') as new snow was being actively loaded forming shallow wind slabs 4-8" deep. Stomped on a small wind drift on N aspect at 11,500' which produced a small 20' wide wind slab 8" deep with sluggish character and not much energy downhill. Failed on a density break from wind loading and recent snow. Another small 6-8" deep pocket was found with a ski cut on a small slope at 10,000' SE aspect (see photo). Less firm wind affected quality of recent snow here than higher elevation behaving more like storm slab on new to old snow interface. Failed on small near surface facets above the stout crust buried 3/21. Dry loose was observed on steep N facing terrain near rock features. Recent snow was bonding better on N aspects above wind board than the stout crust on S aspects. Broken cloud cover with low hanging clouds and limited visibility at times. No solar influence of new snow on southerlies. 

Light dusting of snow in the valleys and foothills, increasing 1-3" of recent snow up to 8500'. Recent snow amounts increased from 9500'-11,500' to 6-12" of recent snow on the firm crust from the March warm spell (buried 3/21) on W, S, E aspects (up to 11k on S aspects). Found some small near suface facets developed on the crust. 10-20cm of new snow last night sits above a breakable crust (buried 3/23) on southerlies. Found wind dirfted snow 16-20" deep above 10,000'. Largest amounts of wind drifted snow were in confined features such as couloirs.