Granite Peak

Surface conditions vary slightly, but the presence of new surface hoar is widespread. These feathers were found to be >1cm on sheltered north facing slopes. With mostly calm wind, the new crop of surface hoar exists on ridgelines above tree line and in start zones. Aspects that received sun had a breakable melt freeze crust with smaller surface hoar growing on top.  

On a NE aspect around 6500, there were small pockets that had experienced some wind effect and had some cracking. These small pockets, which were small convex rollovers, would fail beneath our skis, running on the recent melt freeze crust below the snowfall from February 7.

There is great variability in the snowpack on southern aspects vs. north facing aspects. Just a slight change in aspect can result in the presence or absence of buried weak layers. On a true north aspect at 6,700', we found cold and dry snow with preserved surface hoar 40cm down. The slab above was F-4F and although it didn't propagate in an extended column test, the weak layer failed easily with a shovel sheer. On the surface, a new crop of surface hoar is developing and the feathers were largest in this location, close to 1cm

On a west aspect at the same elevation, there was no evidence of buried surface hoar. The two different January crusts had been smashed together from exposure to warm afternoon sun.

Rolling over to a southeast aspect, we found moist snow as far down as 120cm. Snowfall that started on February 7 fell on a firm 16cm thick K-P hard melt freeze crust. Below this stout crust was over 60cm of 4F-1F moist snow. On a nearby southeast slope at a similar elevation, we observed a new glide crack opening.