Quick report
Conditions on Rock Mountain were consistent with the forecasted Moderate danger and wet-loose problem in this elevation band. Rain changed to snow around 4,500 ft. Above that, snow became consistent and increasingly deep, soft, and wet with elevation. Along the ridge we triggered many roller balls/pinwheels. At ~5,400 ft we encountered a broad open east-facing ~40° slope with several recent natural wet loose sluffs. A hand shear produced a failure in the top ~30 cm with mild force. We turned around there.
Avalanche
Observed several recent small wet loose sluffs on a broad open east-facing ~40° slope at ~5,400 ft. They appeared to have initiated from snow bombs falling out of trees along the ridge.