Quick report
Observed widespread windslab in Hillmans that was largely unreactive to climbing/skiing . Hand shear tests in multiple locations revealed stubborn, sudden planar failure on the icy bed surface, but little/no cracking or other signs of instability were seen. The slab was deepest in the middle of the gully and could largely be avoided by climbing either on exposed melt-freeze crust (on climbers right side of the gully) or on windboard (mostly on climbers left side of the gully). It felt pretty solid to be skiing on today but significant wetting/warming would make me worried about the windslab/crust interface.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 30
- Cloud Cover
- clear
Snowpack
Snowpack in Hillmans was dominated by 4F and 1F windslab that ran the length of the gully in it's center. It was shallower (3-6") on the sides of the gully and deeper (1-2'+) in the middle. Climber's right side of the gully had patches of exposed melt-freeze crust that provided a good climbing surface, while climber's left side of the gully had patches of edge-able P-hard windboard that made for solid turns on the way down.