Better than expected turns

Today we toured up Log Cabin to investigate the structure of the snowpack further inland. The crust is breakable at treeline with a few cm of light new snow on top. At higher elevations and exposed areas the crust is stout and new snow is bonding poorly, at times ski crampons would have been welcome. We transitioned at 1425 m and enjoyed better-than-expected turns in a few cm of powder on top of crust that made for consistent and fast skiing. Conditions are gradually improving and with the right terrain choices we found fun and safe riding. Given our persistent slab problem, we avoided potential triggers in ‘thick to thin’ spots around rocks and trees and steered clear of big open slopes. We managed avalanche terrain by linking smaller, low angle slopes and benches, staying clear of terrain traps and steep slopes overhead, and good spacing. Probing suggests the snowpack on Log Cabin is more shallow and quite variable in depth, ranging from 50cm up to 200cm in loaded pockets.